Series Review: Kimberley Dynamiters & Fernie Ghostriders

This series, IMO, featured two of the top three teams in the KIJHL. It proved to be a very entertaining and competitive series.

The following are some of the key points, and turning points in the series.

Empty Net Goals
There were five (5) goals scored into the empty net, a six (6) goals scored with less than a minute. So if we remove the EN goals, this is what the scores were:

• 3-2 Kimberley (2 EN) 
• 5-2 Fernie
• 5/6-4 Fernie (1 EN, another goal with less than a minute)
• 2-1 Kimberley
• 2-1 Kimberley
• 3-2 Kimberley (2 EN)

When you remove the EN goals, all of Kimberley's victories were by one goal, which shows just how close this series was.

Injuries
The RiderNews eluded to this early in the series, that injuries will play a role. On the Dynamiters side, Roy came into the series injured. Campanella returned. Hunt was injured than returned. Brouwer was injured and returned.

On the Ghostrider side, their leading scorer Doan Smith returned during the series. Bender & Thomsen also returned to the series. Pronchuk played in the first game, but didn't return to the series.

Home-ice Advantage?
Home ice advantage kept swinging. Fernie was 1 for 3 at home. Kimberley was 2 for 3 at home. Both teams rarely lost games at home during the regular season.

Public Enemy
Eric Buckley. He was only held off the scoresheet for one game, Game 5. Buckley scored four goals, added two assists, and 8 PIM. But what is key, is the timing of his goals. 1 GWG, 1SHG, 1GTG, 1 game opener.

Scoring
This series had a lot more goals for Kimberley, than the previous against Creston Valley. Kimberley scored 17 goals, yet let in 18 goals, for a total of 35. That's an average 5.83 GPG. But 25 of those goals were scored in the first three games (8.33 GPG), and 10 in the last three (3.33 GPG).

Goaltending
The goalies were phenomenal this series. Yes, there were some high scoring games, but the scorers on both teams were looking for blood. Key saves were made. Nelson did a great job filling in for Brouwer. And Orser, the divisions regular season top goalie, was a worthy opponent.

Brouwer, though, is posting Jacques Plante type numbers. In 9 games during the playoffs, he has an 8-1 record, a 1.02 GAA, and a .961 SV%. His only loss in the playoffs came in Game 1 against Creston (that's his only loss in all of 2015).

Farewell 20yo
It's always hard to see so much emotion being left on the ice, and knowing that for some of these players, there is no tomorrow. So I wish the following players all the best in their future, whether that's in hockey or outside the hockey world:

• Aaron Neufeld
• Joel Burgess
• Sam Plaquin
• Derek Georgopoulos
• Dylan Robertson