Rider Award Winners

Thanks from the guys here at Rider News to all the Coaches, Trainers, Players, Board Members, President Barb Anderson (has the most time consuming job of all )  all other media including Howie Ashmore, Josh Hoffman and the FFP for helping me keep one of my hobbies (no team no blog) alive... oh and to the fans who pay the freight and make the Riders a viable entity... how about them volunteers as well, and the VOY's Budgie and Scottie in the booth helping out Dan McSkimming the on line voice of the FGR. And a special thanks to Coach Mohr for his honesty about the team throughout the year. 

Fernie Ghostrider Award Winners

Most Improved went to Fernie local Evan Traverse who was in his second year with the Riders and could play two more years if he wanted but plans on going to school next year. All the best Evan.

Honourable mention's to the smoothest skating D-man Tristan Downe who was out till November with a shoulder injury and was pretty raw at first but but improved a mile as the season wore on.
And Brandon Youngson who played very well when Brandon Butler went down for the count and even ended up as a starter in the post season  


Rookie of the Year  was Keelan Saworski, Keelan was not at the banquet because he was in Saskatchewan  practicing with the North Stars where they want him playing next season. Saworski was maybe  the best all around player as he was big, could play defence or forward, could skate and had a good shot as well.


Top Playoff Player and without a doubt the fan's favourite was Brendan Nemes. Brendan changed the face of the team when he arrived 21 games ago. His big hits and work effort every game were just what the Riders needed and had he been here all season along with ROY Saworski we may have had home ice.



MVP was Alex Cheveldave, was there any doubt... Team Captain Cheveldave is the first player I've seen who took a two game suspension just before the playoffs and his coaches were actually happy about it... probably thanked the ref... it was the only way they could make him rest, and the only games he missed all year despite the injuries that guys who play the way he does in the trenches always get. He was tough and had a grade A shot too.
Honorable mention to Mitch Titus who is a tough competitor and played all 47 games and all 52 last year.. but Mitch was not forgotten ... 

Best Defensemen Alex Cheveldave.. see what the guy above wrote about the MVP 


Most Inspirational was Ryan Kennedy a super fit relentless worker who finished with 35 points and a pair of shorthanded goals. Watching him made the other players try harder, another reason coaches like guys like him.
Honorable mention to Tayler Sincennes who had 34 PT and a pair of SH G and was part of the PK  as well.   
   

Most Exciting was Mitch Titus as said above, his toughness for a smaller player who was keyed in on all season was incredible and he was also the...

Top Scorer Mitch Titus the only other thing I can say is I hope he comes back for his last junior season and brings his brother Owen.


And finally all the best to our graduating twenty year old's, we were proud to have you.
Alex Cheveldave
Tayler Sincennes
Devin Nemes
Justin Peers and
Brandon Butler

Friday Night in the KIJHL

Kimberley 3 @ Fernie 2  OT
Tyler Van Steinburg scored the series winning goal in game 6 for the Dynamiters in the second OT and Cody Campbell had the win in net.  980 fans at the game.
Kimberley will now play Creston.

Castlegar 0 @ Nelson 1 
 Devin Allen had the shutout and Kyle Rosolowski from Dale Howell and Nicholas Wihak scored the only goal and the Leafs defeat the Rebels in game 6 and move on to play Beaver Valley.
1024 Leaf fans at the game.

Summerland 0 @ Kelowna 6
Brandon Gaucher had the shutout, Jason Village scored 2 goals and had 2 A and Josh Kobelka had 4 assists as Kelowna wins game 6 in front of 401 of their fans. Game 7 is in Pentiction because of ice problems in Summerland, the Steam have home ice though.

100 Mile 2 @ Kamloops 5
Evan Walls had 2 goals 2 assists Devin Leduc had the GW and Jason Sandhu stopped 24 of 26 as the Kamloops Storm defeat the Wranglers in game six. Kamloops will play Chase next.

Thursday Night in the KIJHL

Fernie 1 @ Kimberley 10
10 different Nitro's score and Cody Campbell had the win in net as Kimberley takes a 3-2 series lead over Fernie. 867 fans at the game and James Farmer with 3 points is now tied for first in KI scoring with 12 points. Next game in Fernie Friday night.

Nelson 3 @ Castlegar 2 OT
Logan Wullum scores in the first OT giving the Leafs a 3-2 series lead. Devin Allen had the win in net stopping 36 of 38 shots.
450 fans at the game and both Allen and Chandler Billinghurst were the POG. Next game in Nelson Friday

Revelstoke 1 @ Chase 4 
Travis Beaubien scored 2 and added an assist while Nic Bruyere stopped 22 of 23. 343 fans at the game and the Heat have won their series 4-1

Kelowna 2 @ Summerland 6
Wyatt Gale and Jarrett Malchow each score 2 and have 1 assist as the Steam take a 3-2 series lead. Matt Huber had the win in net stopping 18 of 20. Next game Friday in Kelowna.

Tuesday in the KIJHL

Kimberley 3 @ Fernie 2
Chase Miller's 2nd power play goal on the night was the game winner and Cody Campbell stopped 38 shots for the win. 
Brendan Nemes scored both Fernie goals. 720 at the game.
Kimberley has tied the series at 2-2 and play at  home Thursday.

Summerland 4 @ Kelowna 7
The Chiefs go 3-6 on the PP and  Brett Witala's PP  goal was the winner. Joel Scrimbit had 4 points as well giving Kelowna the win to even the series up a 2 each, next game is in Summerland.

Beaver Valley 7 @ Grand Forks 4
The Hawks score 3 power play goals, Tyler Hartman had 2G 1A and Tallon Kramer had the win in net and the Hawks win the series 4-0.

Castlegar 0 @ Nelson 1
Devin Allen stopped 15 for the shutout and Sawyer Hunt from Dale Howell scored the only goal in the second OT period giving the Leafs the win. Chandler Billinghurst stopped 39 of 40 in the Rebel net. The series is now tied at 2.

Osoyoos 3 @ North Oak 2 OT
Colin Bell (1G2A) scored the OT game winner and Adam Jones stopped 25 of 27 to give the Coyotes a 4-0 series win

Creston 5 @ Columbia Valley 3
Grant Illes (3G 1A) had the game winner mid third and Brock Lefebvre stopped 38 of 41 to give the T Cats a 4-0 series win.

100 Mile 2 @ Kamloops 5
Dallas Ottos' goal in the second period was the game winner. Mitch Friesen had 2G 1A and Jason Sandhu stopped 42 to give Kamloops a 3-1 series lead , next game in 100 Mile.

Chase 2 @ Revelstoke 1
Ryan Okino scored in the first and Kolten Moore  scored the game winner in the second period and the Heat take a 3-1 series lead. Nic Bruyere made 31 saves for the win and Giovanni Sambrielaz stopped 40 in a losing cause. 800 at the game.

Riders win 6-5 and a little Round' the League

Kimberley 5 @ Fernie 6

The Ghostriders started out the game with two power plays but after that they took a series of penalties of their own and paid for it when...

Kimberley’s Nick Ketola, James Farmer (2) and Matt Davies each scored power play goals . 

But they kept battling and were rewarded with a goal with just :29 seconds left in the frame when Justin Peers fired one in and the first ended  4-1 Kimberley.

Just over a minute into the second Rider regular season top scorer  Mitch Titus (1G 1A) scored his first of the post season then barely a minute later Kevin Pierce scored a power play goal and it was a 4-3 game. Brendan Nemes completed the comeback and tied the game at 4 at the 16:05 mark and that's how the period ended tied 4- 4.

In the first minute of the third Ryan Kennedy scored to make it 5-4 then Justin Peers (2G 1A) scored the Riders 6th goal and 6th in a row  and it would turn out to be the game winner after Matt Davies scored his second on the night to make it 6-5.

Game Notes

Brendan Henderson started in the Rider net but was replaced by Brandon Youngson to start the second and courtesy of several big time saves got the win and was the Riders Player of the Game. 

Cody Campbell went the distance in the Dynamiter net. Derek Green left the game after a hit but should play tonight. Rider Keelan Saworski (arguably the Riders best all around player) was kicked out in the first for a CFB but will play tonight.

Derek Green,Tristan Downe, Devin Nemes, Nolan Lagace, Tayler Sincennes and Ben Sushkovsky (2) each had assists for the Riders. Justin Peers' has scored the game winner twice in a row now.

If you were a referee evaluator (not a fan in the stands evaluator) you would definitely term these games as difficult. Many of the hits are questionable and soon as you turn your head... For the record, Fernie went 1-9 and Kimberley was 4-10 on the PP.

George Bertola, Nolan Kurylo,Cooper Page,Chase Miller (2) Franco Colapaolo and Devin Langelaar had assists for the KD and D James Farmer's 3 point night gives him 7 in the series. Tyler Van Steinberg did not play, he must be injured, I don't think you sit that D.

Round’ the League

Creston leads the Rockies 3-0 after a 7-4 win in Invermere last night.

Beaver Valley leads Grand Forks 3-0 after Tallon Kramer got a 4-0 shutout in GF

Osoyoos leads North Oak 3-0

Castlegar leads Nelson 2-1 after a 5-4 win in Nelson when KIJHL top scorer Logan Styler scored on the PP in the 2nd OT last night

Summerland leads Kelowna 2-1 but lost Riley Pettitt after he was hit with a head shot that earned Brendan Mongey a 5 minute major. The game before featured Summerland's Calvin Hadley taking a 5 on Kelowna's goalie, he got 2 games. If you go on Justin McCartney's Twitter @KChiefsVoice you can see the video.

Chase leads Revelstoke 2-1

Kamloops leads 100 Mile 2-1

Monday night in the KIJHL

Kimberley 5 @ Fernie 6
Kimberley scored 4 PP goals in the first period for a 4-1 lead but the Riders battled back with 3 in the second and 2 in the third. Justin Peers (2G 1A) scored the game winner and Mitch Titus had 1G 1A. Both Brendan Henderson and Brandon Youngson were in the FGR net. Nitro's James Farmer and Matt Davies each scored two goals. Fernie takes a 2-1 series lead in front of 950 fans.


Beaver Valley 4 @ Grand Forks 0
Four different Hawks score (2 on the PP) and they outshot GFBB 44-28 as well to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Goalie Tallon Kramer with the shutout was the Hawk POG
372 fans at the game.

Castlegar 5 @ Nelson 4
Nelson's Jakob Karran tied the game at 4 in the third but KIJHL scoring champ Logan Styler (1G 2A) scored the game winner in the second OT on the PP to give the Rebels a 2-1 series lead. John Moller scored 3 Rebel goals and Chandler Billinghurst stopped 31 for the win. 530 fans at the game. 

Chase 2 @ Revelstoke 1
Jake Delorme's PP goal in the first period turns out to be the game winner. The Heat out shot Revy 42-27 and Nic Bruyere had the win in net as the Heat take a 2-1 series lead in front of a fantastic crowd of 1038 Grizz fans.

Summerland 3 @ Kelowna 1
Morey Babakaiff scored the game winner in the second period after Wyatt Gale scored the first goal on the PP in the first. Matt Huber had the win in net stopping 23 of 24. 
330 fans at the game and Summerland has taken a 2-1 series lead.

Creston 7 @ Columbia Valley 4 
Creston wins a track meet by outshooting CVR 56-49 and scoring 7 goals to take a 3-0 series lead. Thomas Cankovic and Mike Spenrath each had 2 goals and there were 330 fans at the game.

100 Mile 2 @ Kamloops 3
Haden Dick's 2nd goal in the second period was the game winner and Jason Sandhu had the win in net stopping 33 of 35 shots. Kamloops takes a 2-1 series lead. 100's Jakob Severson stopped 34 in a losing cause.

Osoyoos 4 @ North Oakanagan 2
The Coyotes score 3 in the third and Jackson Glimpel's 2nd goal in a row was the game winner. Both Liam Aitken and Adam Jones were in the Coyote net. The shots were 39-30 and the Coyotes have taken a 3-0 series lead.

The Riders are home here in Fernie Monday night, Round the league and a few other things

The Fernie Ghostriders play game three of their best of seven series

against the Kimberley Dynamiters Monday night here in Fernie.

The series is tied at one game each and game four is Tuesday night right here in Fernie.

Game five will be in Kimberley on Thursday night and it will be live on The Drive 99.1 local radio.

Game six if there is one will be here in Fernie Friday March 3rd and game seven is Saturday in Kimberley.

Game one: Fernie 3 @ Kimberley 8
The game was tied at 2 well into the second period when Kimberley scored four in a row virtually ending the game. Nitro Joe Karpyshyn, James Farmer and Matt Davies each had 3 point nights and Cody Campbell had the win in net.

Fernie had goals from Evan Traverse, Devin Nemes and Aidan Wilson (1G1A). Brendan Henderson started but was pulled after the sixth goal. Brandon Youngson finished the game.

Game two : Fernie 4 @ Kimberley 2
The Ghostriders had the lead all game and were up 2-0 after two. Kimberley scored to make it 2-1 but then Justin Peers scored on the PP for a 3-1 lead. Kimberley scored again making it a 3-2 game but Keelan Saworksi ended it with his first goal of the post season in the last minute of the game.

The Riders goals were from  Brendan Nemes (PP) Ty Abbott, Justin Peers (the game winner on the PP) and Keelan Saworski. Alex Cheveldave finished the night with 2 assists and Brendan Henderson was the Riders player of the game after he stopped 31 shots.

Kimberley had goals from Joe Karpyshyn and Franco Colapaolo and Cody Campbell was in net.

No problems in Kimberley in game 1 but when they lost in game 2 a fan was ejected for verbally attacking the referee and  several other fans were yelling and screaming and throwing cups of beer as well.They should change to Bud light or something if it's that bad. 

Round' the League

The KIJHL is keeping quiet on this as is BC Hockey but the WHL has a statement on the Mumps virus that's going around. If you or a teammate get sick get checked for the Mumps, it is serious...

Creston as expected leads Columbia Valley 2-0 - they won 7-2 last night and outshot CVR 53-27 but go to Rockieland Monday.

Beaver Valley also as expected leads Grand Forks 2-0
 after a 7-1 win and a 53-19 shot advantage last night ... they go to GFBB Monday

Castlegar and Nelson are tied 1-1- those pesky Leafs could surprise in Nelson for the next 2.

100 Mile and Kamloops are tied 1-1- the Storm battle back and tie with a 5-2 win and go home to Kamloops Monday.

Chase and Revelstoke are tied 1-1- Chase was first and have now tied it up but go to Revy Monday.

Summerland and Kelowna are tied at 1-1 but Kelowna may have lost their goalie Tanner Marshall after the Steam's Calvin Hadley took a 5 min major for goaltender interference on him and he left the game... there will be lots of fireworks at the KIJHL office over that one, and maybe on the ice as well in Kelowna as the Chiefs are no shrinking violets.

Osoyoos leads North Oakanagan 2-0 after Ryan Roseboom scored the game winner in a 3-2 game last night... but Roseboom who was a KIJHL top scorer with 31G and 25A  took a 5 minute charging penalty in the last 10 minutes so may miss a game or two, more fun for the KI VP's.