Riders Split with Kimbo...

The Ghostriders split a home and home with the Kimberley Dynamiters losing 3-2 in Kimberley then winning 3-2 in overtime here in Fernie last night (Tuesday) in front of 1140 mostly joyous ( there were several Kimbo fans who weren't exactly joyous)  fans.

Last Monday in Kimberley over 1000 watched the Riders get out to a 2-1 lead in the first period but they couldn’t hold on and the Dynamiters scored two goals in the third for the win. Aidan Wilson from Zach Befus and Coleton Dawson scored the first goal then Ryan Kennedy from Dawson and Alex Cheveldave scored the second and the first ended up with the Riders leading 2-1. In the third the Nitro's scored two for the win.

The Riders lost Alex Cheveldave and Zach Befus in that game to slashes to the hands and Aidan Wilson had some teeth knocked out with another uncalled high stick.

The next night here in Fernie the Riders were without the aforementioned regular’s Befus and Cheveldave along with Cole Keebler, Trevor Broad and Mack Differenz. Wilson played with a cage.  Kimberley was missing last season's Top Scorer Jason Richter who they say is down for the rest of the regular season but will be back for the P/O's. They don't say why or what his injury is and don't even list anything on the KI website. The Riders have the little crosses you can click on and not really tell what the injury is but at least you know who is out. 

Kimberley scored the first goal on the power play in the first period then the Riders tied it up at 1 when Dan Burgess scored his first of the year from Aidan Wilson and Kevin Pierce early in the third. Justin Peers' bullet shot was the go ahead goal 11 minutes in from Dustin Watt and Tayler Sincennes . The Dynamiters tied it up on the power play with just :03 seconds left in the game. 

In the OT Nolan Lagace scored the game winner from Mitch Titus at 4:04 of the OT. 

HC Craig Mohr "It was a character win... you know what I'm proud of all our guys". I think the turning point was when we killed off the 7 minute power play in the second". 

Assistant Coach Pascal Morency "The boys paid the price to sacrifice themselves for the team. They took responsibilities to each contribute. We won the game through little details that created the difference at the end."

You know what...I think Nitro coach Jerry Bancks was saying something like that when he jumped on the ice in the second period (without getting kicked out ?) to rationally talk to the referee. 

Pretty good effort from Aidan Wilson who is finally back in the lineup after a longterm injury, picked up an assist on the tying goal and can now do a nice Bobby Clark imitation... all the kids are saying Bobby who... Team Canada 72 

Great to see F/D  Dan Burgess get the tying goal, a perfect time to get his first of the season.

We keep spelling his name wrong but Nolan Lagace who was an inch away from scoring the insurance goal late in the third was rewarded with the Game Winner in Overtime. 

Jeff Orser got the starts in Kimberley and at home, he was stung for one bad fluke goal but as Coach Mohr says he is back to playing Orsereskly... well he said something like that anyway. Mitch Traichevich was in net for the Nitros Tuesday and Tyson Brouwer was in net Monday.

Coleton Dawson has made a huge impact on the Ghostriders with his size and willingness to use it... along with 3 goals and 5 assists in 8 games, he was right in the middle of all the fun in the second and he got his stick in the lanes a couple of times in the neutral zone, it's easy to do but not all players figure that out. Dawson is also the only Rider with the big hair now that Evan Reid has chopped his off... will he beat him up for that indiscretion 

The Riders were arguably the better team in the third... what does that mean  for the Dynamite... when they lost a game or two earlier in the season Bancks was quoted as saying  "were going to work really hard on our fitness"... which for the uninitiated means I'm f**n pissed off so we'll be bag skatin. The Riders lost Ryan Teslak in the second for a fight and Keagan Kingwell missed most of the game with the flu. A couple of important D out that left a big hole but the Riders still outscored Kimbo 3-1 in the 3rd and the OT plus the only goals they scored were PP G's... sharpin up them skates boys.