The Kimberley Dynamiters completed their first three game weekend. The results were much the same as they have been for entire month of January: a win bookended by two losses. The Dynamiters lost 5-3 to the Fernie Ghostriders on Thursday, then won in over-time 6-5 against the Columbia Valley Rockies, before losing 4-3 to the Creston Valley Thunder Cats on Saturday. Giving the Nitro’s a record of 3-6 for the month.
“We are happy January is over, that's for sure. It wasn't
the ideal month. Basically, it boils down to inconsistency.” Head coach and
general manager Derek Stuart said. “Even with the inconsistency, five of the
six games we lost were close games that we had a chance to win.
“That is encouraging as a coach. We weren't playing our best
hockey but still had opportunities to win games against top teams”
Following the loss on Thursday to the Ghostriders, the
Dynamiters travelled to Invermere to face the Rockies. The first 20 minutes was
a nightmare for the Nitro’s as the Rockies took a commanding 3-1 lead. The lone
goal was a flutter point shot by George Bertoia.
“They are a lot harder to play in their arena then they seem
to be in ours.” Stuart said. “They have definitely improved [since the start of
the season].
“They came out hard in the first period and we did the
opposite. After the first 20, we were really good.”
The Dynamiters began righting the ship as Chase Miller and
Cody Lassiter, his first as a Nitro, would chip in goals. But the Rockies would
hold onto a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.
The Nitro’s came soaring out in the third scoring two quick
goals by Nolan Kurylo and Brandt Bertoia, edging themselves a 5-4 lead. But
with exactly eight minutes left the Rockies tied it at five.
It took 3-on-3 overtime for the teams to solve the game, as
Joe Karpyshyn would score the winner.
The Cody’s shared the net, with Call making eight saves, and
Campbell making 17 stops.
The Dynamiters then focused their attention the eighth and
final meeting against the Thunder Cats, a last attempt to try to inch closer to
top spot in the Eddie Mountain Division.
The Dynamiters would learn quickly in this game, that it was
Creston Valley Thunder Cats Paxton Malone’s night. Malone opened the scoring,
then Karpyshyn tied it. Malone scored again, and then Franco Colapaolo tied the
game.
It would be in the second period that Cats Malone wasn’t in
on a goal, to take a 3-2 lead – and the Nitro’s did not have a response, until
the third period.
Brandon Langridge would tie the game with 4:47 left in the
third, and everyone felt the game was going to overtime, except Malone, who
would score his third goal of the game 42 seconds later. The Dynamiters would
pull out all of their tricks, but to no avail, as the Cats would hang on to
their 4-3 lead and win the game.
Campbell made 21 saves in front of the 614 in attendance.
After the game, Stuart felt that the Nitro’s need to cash in
on their chances, “We need to bear down on our chances. We had many
opportunities to score more goals than we did.”
With January ending, Stuart feels his squad is beginning to
focus more because the playoffs are closer to today then the holiday break. It’s
important to remember that the Dynamiters had a second 10-day break after the
Fernie series.
“We are getting better,” he said, “I believe the way we are
playing is becoming more consistent.
“The guys are starting to buckle down. We can now focus on
our next opponent.”
The Nitro’s next opponent is the Fernie Ghostriders, this Friday,
followed by a trip to Golden to face the Rockets on Saturday.
MATCH STICKS: Chase
Miller, Garreth Osmar, and James Rota are all listed as day-to-day. Tyler Van
Steinburg is only available now for home games due to a full course schedule at
College of the Rockies. Chase Miller registered his team leading 50th
point.
Photo by Jonathan Righton
Check it out in the Kimberley Bulletin/Cranbrook Townsman
Check it out in the Kimberley Bulletin/Cranbrook Townsman
