The Kimberley Dynamiters played their first road game of the 2017-18 season against the Nelson Leafs, following a convincing 6-1 win at home against the Columbia Valley Rockies.
Head coach and general manager Derek Stuart said that he and the staff hammered home that Nelson is a different team from the Rockies, and that the Leafs are one of the favourites to win the Neil Murdoch division, if not the whole Kootenay Conference.
The Leafs took it to the Nitro's early in the game, controlling the play at the Nelson Community Complex. It wasn't until the midway of the first that rookie Cam Russell fired a shot while skating wide that surprised the Leafs keeper, giving the Nitro's a 1-0 lead.
The second period was scoreless, it was the calm before the storm of what would be an explosive third period.
In the third tempers began to flair. It all started when Luke Recchi dropped the gloves with Leafs Justin Podgorenko, and came out on the loosing end. The Nelson rink became a warzone.
"I thought their will and determination, and courage to play through a war, was really impressive." Stuart said. "Everyone really battled hard, it wasn't pretty, there were a lot of mistakes and bad decisions. In terms of their effort level and not shying away, it was impressive."
That's just what the Nitro's did, they didn't shy away and battled. The Nitro's got into penalty trouble, and were short handed at one point 5-on-3 for a whole two minutes. But Nitro's goalie, Broc Merkl made incredible save and spectacular save, to keep the Dynamiters ahead 1-0.
"As soon as we killed off that big 5-on-3 I knew we had the game." Merkl said confidently the day after the game.
After the lengthy penalty kill they built themselves a 2-0 lead on a wrap around goal by Brock Palmer.
The Leafs tried to mount a comeback, scoring a goal, and then swarming in the final two minutes, but it was to no avail, as Merkl kept the gate closed. He earned his first KIJHL win making 33 saves.
"It was very obvious that without Merkl last night we would have definitely lost the game." Stuart said.
Merkl humbly said that it was a team effort. "I can't take the whole credit for a win, last night I may have been a factor in the win," He said, "but at the same time I had a great team in front of me that got those two goals."
While the Nitro's were not perfect in the 139 penalty minute game, Staurt was impressed with the performance of Russell, Palaga and Roberts; and how veterans Rota and Farmer stepped in to play defensive shifts when needed against the Leafs.
With the win, the Nitro's earned four of four points in the weekend.
MATCH STICKS: Recchi will be re-evaluated after leaving the game after the fight. Tyler Van Steinburg sustained a lower body injury in Nelson as well. While not currently listed, it is expected that Nic Ketola will be suspended for his 10-minute major.
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