The Weekly Roundup -road game-Mr Gray-University's-topshelf-questions and indiscretions

The Ghostriders lost 3-2 in Golden on Friday then won 7-2 at home against Spokane on Saturday giving them a perfect 12-0 home record but a 4-4-0-1 away record.

We used to say a tie is as good as a win on the road.. or 500 on the road ain’t so bad…When I brought up the Rider road record to one of the longtime fans last Saturday he was laughing as he said  “I don’t go to the road games anyway”.

The difference between home and away says Coach Craig Mohr, “We bury our chances at home’’.  Well if you watched the Golden game you would know that the Riders had some good chances in the third and Cole Keebler had an outstanding one late in the third…but like the once popular Just for Men Hair Gel ad used to say… no play for Mr K.  See the amusing ad here  

Ghostrider Notebook

Cole Keebler had a goal in Golden and two against Spokane, and, as mentioned just missed on a sure thing in Golden. With 21 points in 16 games, who cares if he dyes his hair.

Josh McCulloch had a poor week by his standards, only a goal and an assist in the Spokane game. McCulloch now has 20 goals and sits at # 3 in the KIJHL goal scoring derby right behind Rebel Bryan Lubin 21 and Nitro Tyson Klingspohn 21.

Aaron Neufeld scored 1 in Golden and had 2 vs Spokane and has had 5 points in his last three games. It’s nice to see Neufeld getting in on the points.

Kyle Haugo scored his first goal in the Spokane game... beat the goalie one on one backhand top shelf… how Kyle will describe his first Jr. goal to his grandkids someday. Couldn’t be happier for the 16 year old from Elkford who didn’t really look all that out of place at last year’s training camp at 15.

Justin Peers had three assists and a fight last week and to me is turning into a pretty important player for the Riders…sure noticed the point a game winger yappin lots at the Spokane players Saturday.

Jason Yan had an assist last week but doesn’t get in on the points all that often… but he’s Jr “A” fast and I bet the other D hate having that speedball around to make them sprint more than they want to. Everyone has a job to do.

Coach Craig Mohr has had calls from Universities in Iowa looking at some of his players. Sam Plaquin and Cole Keebler were generating the most interest. There is also the BCIHL, they take several KIJHL players every year and are helping to make the KIJHL a stepping stone for older players as well as the younger guys.

Next Up
The Riders play in Beaver Valley Friday then are home to Kimberley this Saturday. The Nitro’s lost 3 road games this weekend but almost always give the Riders a close game. I still don’t get why they got rid of Garcia… they are a little easier to play against without him.. If you ask me

Round’ the League

On November 7^th the Nelson Leafs went into Creston and won 5-2. However a sharp-eyed Jeff Dubois (Creston HC and GM) noticed that Nelson used a player who wasn’t carded yet and protested the game and won. Creston got the 2 points. That’s the second time this year a team had points taken away Kelowna got nailed for playing a suspended player in October.

Trail (BCHL) GM Nick Deschenes signed Grand Forks top scorer Max Newton, he just turned 17, and Summerland’s Paulson Lautard 19. Both players were top 6 KIJHL scoring leaders.

In an interview on a 100 Mile House broadcast KI President Bill Ohlhausen had some answers to 100’s questions. 

1/ One of the league goals was to have the games over in about 2 hrs. 

2/Also when he was asked if the league would remove fighting he quickly said no.

3/ The crossovers (where Osoyoos, Summerland etc come to Fernie and we go there) are very expensive… and the league may revisit them this summer.

4/ 100 and Kamloops will play in Williams Lake on the 28^th, they played in Quesnel earlier in the season. Show me four more teams up there and we’ll start a Northern Division he said.

5/ Would like to go with the 2 referee system.

Well 2 hr games would be all right but that means no PIMs and quick faceoffs, 2:20 would be more likely if you ask me. What ever happened to the quick faceoff rule from a few years ago anyway.

Fighting, well he may as well say that because he knows that Hockey Canada will be making that decision for him and the KIJHL anyway.

I sure hope they don't stop the crossovers, I really like seeing the teams from the other divisions.

Another KIJHL wish is to have two referees, but the problem is there are just not enough officials to do it.  Especially out here in the East Kootenays.

Another Division… well I hope that only happens if some teams move North. Expansion would water down the league too much.

Finally, and not a moment to soon…Saturday we saw a finely dressed, and a fairly famous round’ the Rider rink, Aussie reporter…  drinkin water ! at the Spokane game. Will they take away her Aussie citizenship, or will the players take away her Canadian pen for that… indiscretion.

More next week, Thanks for readin.