The Kimberley Dynamiters have finished
their pre-season schedule with a 1-1-0 record. The first exhibition game was a
5-2 loss in Creston against the Thunder Cats, and the win coming in over-time
against the Golden Rockets.
Head Coach & General Manager Derek
Stuart says “For the most part, both games went well. I told the players before
each game that the outcome is meaningless. What is more important right now and
what we are interested in is the player’s actions, and what they were asked to
do during the game. Overall, actions were very good, played in the right way.”
The first exhibition game was against the
2016 Cyclone Taylor Cup Creston Valley Thunder Cats. Their roster featured over
five returning KIJHL players, while the Nitro’s started three. “On Wednesday we
had two lulls, one at the start of the game, and the next for the first
six-to-seven minutes of the second.” Stuart recalls. The Thunder Cats had
played the night before against Beaver Valley Nitehawks, and appeared to find
their skating legs sooner than the debuting Dynamiters. “We did take it to them
physically, everyone was finishing their checks. We played really well
five-on-five.” By the conclusion of the match Kimberley was outscored 5-2, and outshot
37-23.
On Friday the Dynamiters hosted the Golden
Rockets at the Western Financial Place in Cranbrook. Stuart said there was a
lot excitement as “the players really liked being in a WHL rink.” Overall,
Stuart was pleased with the performance Friday, “We made it tough for Golden to
get to the front of the net.” There was a lot of local support as nearly 500
fans showed up to watch the Dynamiters win 4-3 in OT. “The coaching staff, and
executive are extremely pleased with the turnout. This is definitely something
we will look at doing in the future.”
Looking ahead, the roster has been trimmed
right down to 21 players. “I’m hopeful for a few more players between now and
the start of the regular season. It’s a difficult time of year for the players
and me. As a coach you build a relationship with the players and then players
come and go. The roster on opening day will not be the same three to four
months from now. The guys on the roster now have earned their spot and we are
comfortable with them.”
The Dynamiters are still carrying six
defencemen, and are waiting for the results of Junior A cuts. The goal for the
Nitro’s has been to move players on, “You hope they make it, if not we will
welcome them back.”
Stuart and the team are looking forward to
starting the regular season, especially against Eddie Mountain division rivals,
the Fernie Ghostriders. “I am hopeful for a big crowd, the players feed off the
energy.”
Match Sticks: There
are no injuries to report. The Nitro’s iced two new skaters against the
Rockets, forward Garreth Osmar (’98) and defenseman Connor Sullivan (’98).
Osmar is a Cranbrook native who played last season with the Calgary Royals;
prior to joining the Dynamiters he was trying out for the West Kelowna
Warriors. Sullivan, standing 6’3”, is from Red Deer, and played last year with
the Red Deer Elks.
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