The Kimberley Dynamiters head into the holiday break on a
six game winning streak after defeating the Columbia Valley Rockies and the
Nelson Leafs.
The Nitro’s opened the weekend with a game against the
Rockies Friday. In an ongoing trend, the Nitro’s gave up the first goal of the
game, and headed into the first intermission down 2-1.
“That was not a good start at all. That was exactly what I
was worried about. They were not ready to go,” said general manager and head
coach Derek Stuart. “They thought it was going to be an easy game because
Columbia Valley is struggling at the moment. As you saw, Columbia Valley is a
very worthy opponent.”
It took until just after the midway point of the second for
the Dynamiters to tie the game with Nolan Kurylo’s second goal of the game. The
play that changed the game was when Caige Sterzer busted in and scored an
individual effort goal with under a minute left.
“I thought Sterzer's goal was the turning point for us. He
did everything we have asked,” Staurt said, “he drove to the net, protected the
puck, made a great move. It really was, in my opinion, the momentum shifter in
the game giving us the lead going into third.”
In the third the Dynamiters added to their lead, as new
comers Joe Karpyshyn and Nic Herringer scored their first goals as a Dynamiter
to give the Nitro’s a 5-3 lead. Herringer would then score his second goal as
the Dynamiters doubled the Rockies 6-3.
Stuart was impressed with the play of the two new forwards,
and both feel that they have adjusted to being on the team.
“It felt good to finally get one.” Herringer said. “The
first couple of games I was just feeling it out, came close. It feels good,
good to help out.”
“I felt pretty good out there.” Karpyshyn said “Felt like I
was shaking the dust off because I haven't played in about two weeks. It was a
good first for me.”
Cody Call also made his first start as a Dynamiter and made
32 saves for the win.
“I thought he did great. After he settled in, I thought he
was phenomenal.” Stuart said, “He made some outstanding saves. To be honest, I
thought he kept us in the game for quite a while in the second period. He made
some highlight reel saves.”
“It was a little nerve racking. Some pre-game jitters.” Call
recalled, “Once you get the first shot out of the way I knew the boys had my
back. Once we got rolling I knew we had it in the bag.”
The Dynamiters then shifted their focus to the Nelson Leafs,
a team that has been just as hot as the Nitro’s, before they got to go on their
holiday break.
The Leafs opened the scoring, as former Nitro, and current
Leafs captain, Sawyer Hunt scored.
It took until the middle frame, when the Dynamiters were
outshot 21-7, for the Nitro’s to get on the board. Matt Davies got the first
goal, followed by Kurylo and Lucas Purdy.
“We had to remind them that we were not the team we were
showing them in the first 40 minutes.
“Reminded them of the two alumni (Marchi and Bennato) that
were honored tonight, and reminded them of how hard they played every time they
suited up.
“I thought in the third period they came out and played like
we can. If we would have done that all game, we would have been in good shape
for the entire 60 minutes.”
In the last period, the Nitro’s outshot the Leafs 21-2, and
Franco Colapaolo added the fourth, as they doubled their opponent for the
second game in a row 4-2.
Purdy scored the eventual game winner, “A pretty new
experience for me. I'm not a big goal scorer, so it is pretty nice.”
Purdy added, “We came out a little slow. But we finished it
off and got the win, and that's all that really matters. Pretty good game.”
Cody Campbell made 31 saves, taking the Nitro’s into the
holiday break on a six game winning streak.
“I think the results were definitely great, for the most
part we executed how we wanted to, we got the result we wanted.” Stuart said.
“Going into the break for us, we are just looking forward to a break right now,
to refocus with the back-to-back with Fernie when we get back.”
MATCH STICKS: Caige
Sterzer and Harrison Risdon have been named to the KIJHL Top Prospects game on
January 14th in Kelowna. Alumni Jared Marchi had his number retired
Saturday against Fernie.
Photos by Jonathan Righton
Check it out in the Kimberley Bulletin/Cranbrook Townsman
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