The Kimberley Dynamiters and Fernie Ghostriders continue to
battle it out in the Eddie Mountain Division semi-final. Games Three and Four
were played on Monday and Tuesday this week in Fernie.
The Kimberley Dynamiters went into Fernie feeling prepared
and confident. It showed early during Game Three as the Nitro’s scored four
power play goals in a row, scoring three of those goals within 90 seconds of
eachother. The last time Kimberley did that, it was during Game One on Friday
and they went on to win 8-3. With a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes, the Dynamiters
were truly excited, but new they still had 40 minutes to play.
“We went into Fernie, we knew we could play there.” Head
coach and general manager Derek Stuart said, “We were excited with our
performance in the first.
“I got the sense that they were definitely a little over
excited. No indication that they thought that had won the game.”
However, one thing Ghostriders head coach and general manager
Craig Mohr wanted from his team was push back. That’s exactly what they did in
the second period as they quickly erased the Nitro’s excitement and three goal
lead within four minutes of the second period, doing so with only six shots on
net.
“We had a couple lulls. We didn't get the goaltending we
needed, Campbell would be the first to admit that, he told me that himself.”
“It is unfortunately one of those things that happens, not
everyone will play their best every night. Unfortunately it cost us a win, but
not the series.”
The Ghostriders would eventually steal the game 6-5 over the
Kimberley Dynamiters.
In Game Four, the Kimberley Dynamiters showed their
resiliency. For the second game in a row, they jumped out to an early 2-0 lead
as Nolan Kurylo and Cody Lassiter would each score.
It was in the third period, up 2-1 on the Ghostriders, that
the Dynamiters truly showed their cohesiveness and resilience. They were going
to be shorthanded for nine minutes following a series of head contact penalties
against George Bertoia.
“The attitude and excitement that the guys had to go out
there and kill the penalty for George was phenomenal. They did an outstanding
job.
“If there was any guy on the team that the players would
choose to go to war with, it'd be George. It wasn't an easy seven minutes to
kill, but at the same time, the player that made the mistake, it was easy to
rally for him.”
Luckily, or thankfully, they only had to kill seven of the
nine minutes due to a Fernie penalty. The ‘Riders would tie the game shortly
after their power play ended.
With seven minutes left, the second in KIJHL Playoff scoring
James Farmer got the puck on net, and Chase Miller found the loose puck to give
the Dynamiters a 3-2 win in Fernie, levelling the series at two.
Cody Campbell had an excellent game, stopping 38 shots, and
was named the Away Star of the Game.
“Campbell had a very impressive response to game three, he
was calm and collected. Without him last night we would have been down 3-1.
Those highlight reel saves give us a big boost and get our guys going”
With the series tied at two, it is now a best of three
series. The series now shifts to Kimberley on Thursday, then Fernie on Friday,
and back to Kimberley for game seven (if necessary).
MATCH STICKS: George
Bertoia received an automatic suspension of two-games. James Farmer currently
sits second in KIJHL Playoff scoring (2 goals, 7 assists). Fernie’s Kyle Haugo
and Keegan Kingwell remain sidelined with injury.
Check it out in the Kimberley Bulletin/Cranbrook Townsman
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