Kimberley Dynamiters capitalize on chances and in 3rd for a 5-1 win over Columbia Valley Rockies

Photo by Jonathan Righton

The Rockies have been a team that has been improving as the season has progressed, at one point even tying the Ghostriders in points. I'd say they are an underrated team, and they came into Kimberley with authority.

Game Notes

• 432 were in attendance.
• Kenaan Haase was not in the lineup.
• Korbyn Chabot returned to the lineup
• Mitch Traichevich started against McKay

1st

The Rockies came out with authority. They controlled the game early and were finishing their hits. The period had a great pace to it, until the midway point. Buhler rushed in after the puck, and took a cross check right to the face, drawing a penalty. The Rockies appeared to try to make a case about Buhler charging. But no luck, a 2+10 was called. Midway through Kimberley's first penalty, Buckley was penalized for tripping. Then shortly after Buckley got out of the box, he was sent back in, giving the Rockies a PP. The Rockies negated their own PP as they took a penalty for boarding. A minute later, Kimberley went on the PP as the Rockies took another 2+10 penalty, Buckley drew the penalty as he was hooked backwards onto the Rockies goalie, and the Rockies player wouldn't let Buckley get up and kept tugging at him. Despite the grunge'ish play the period took in the 2nd half, the game remained scoreless, but the Nitro's outshot the Rockies 8-5.

2nd

The penalties kept being called. Finally Buckley, who has been a menace all night, found a loose bouncing puck while on the PP and batted it in. Kimberley up 1-0. A 5+Game call later, Kimberley was back on the PP. This time as the five minutes trickled down, Buckley stole the puck at centre ice with a stick lift, he fed Benson and it was 2-0 Kimberley. Then a 5+Game call against the Nitro's, and it was the Rockies turn to get back in the game. Five second into the PP, they won the faceoff and lobbed the puck at the net, it was deflected and Traichevich couldn't see it, it was 2-1. Kimberley tried arguing that it was a high-stick deflection, but the ref didn't listen. The period ended 2-1, shots were 8-7 Kimberley.

3rd

The scariest, saddest, and the game changing moment. McKay (Rockies goalie) took a shot straight off the head, he went down in a daze, but signaled the ref that he was ok, so play continued for a bit. Then play stopped, and McKay looked off-balance. The trainer visited with him, and the decided to not risk it and he was helped off the ice (in passing, I over heard that McKay was concussed from the play). The Rockies sent in their back up. On the first shot against him, he was beat, but the post bailed him out. In a goal that made no sense, Buhler threw the puck on net from a bad angle, and gave the Dynamiters a 3-1 lead. The Nitro's went back on the PP, and Benson scored his 2nd of the game early into the PP, 4-1 Kimberley. Buckley, then in a chase down for the puck, outworked the Rockies defenseman and scored, 5-1 Kimberley. At this point, the game simmered down. Penalties declined, and the game was skated out. Kimberley won 5-1. The shots in the period were 8-all.

The Rockies twitter account complained that the 3-stars were all Kimberley players. While I can understand the frustration with that, the score was 5-1. But the Rockies did keep pace with Kimberley through two periods.

Dynamite Player of the Game

Eric Buckley - He was public enemy #1. 2G 2A

Honorable Mentions

Brendon Benson - 2G, his first goal as a Nitro was also the eventual GWG.

Jared Marchi - 3A

Jordan Busch - 3A

Mitch Traichevich - 19 saves

Extra Reading

Boxscore