Skip to content

Thunder Cats earn 6-2 road win over Columbia Valley

A 6-2 drubbing over the Columbia Valley Rockies on Tuesday solidified the Creston Valley Thunder Cats’ hold on second place in the KIJHL’s Eddie Mountain Division.
9121705_web1_171102-CVA-Thunder-cats-get-big-road-win_1

Creston Valley Thunder Cats go into weekend action in good spirits, riding high after a 6-2 drubbing of the Columbia Valley Rockies in Invermere on Tuesday.

The Rockies, who sit in third place in the Eddie Mountain Division, scored the first and last goals of the game but five markers in a 16-shot second period were all Creston really needed to walk away with two points.

Tyler Nypower opened the scoring 3:32 into the game and Columbia Valley skate off with the lead after 20 minutes, outshooting the visitors 11-9.

Not surprisingly, it was captain and leading scoring Liam Plunkett who started the middle frame onslaught, bulging the twine 47 seconds into the period, with assists going to Justen James and Dylan Rantucci. Before the period was half done, Bryce Sturm (Jack McArdle and Levi Mitchell), Ronnie Wilkie (Plunkett and McArdle), Brody Ryan (Tyler Witzke and Mitchell Wolfe) and Sturm (Rantucci), with his second goal, had given the T-Cats a lead that put them in the driver’s seat.

The teams traded goals in the final period despite Creston outshooting the home side 19-11. James (Ryan and Plunkett) and Brandt Black were the scorers.

Two power play goals in second period action helped the Thunder Cats cause. Liam Plunkett was named the game’s Away Star. Columbia Valley didn’t help their own cause by taking six of the game’s eight minor penalties.

Plunkett is racking up points at a 1.8 points per game clip, and has 23 points in 13 games, good enough to put him in a three-way tie for sixth place in the KIJHL scoring race. Grand Forks’ Jordan Robertson sits on top with 29 points and teammate Trey Mason is two points behind him.

The win gives Creston 15 points on the season, 9 points behind the red hot Kimberley Dynamiters, who have 24. The Thunder Cats have a game in hand, and are 4 points ahead of the Rockies.

Creston hosts two home games this weekend, a rare one without travel. The Fernie Ghostriders visit on Friday night after sitting idle since October 14 after the ammonia leak tragedy at the Fernie Memorial Arena. Nelson Leafs, who have a narrow one-point lead for first place in the Neil Murdoch Division, visit on Saturday night.