With a single regular-season game under their belts, the Creston Valley Thunder Cats went into last week’s games unprepared for the challenge of three games in three days, but they aren’t using that challenge as an excuse for the losses.
“The bottom line was the first four periods of the weekend were a poor effort, and not the level we needed to be a success,” said head coach Jeff Dubois.
The team’s level of play improved as the weekend went along, he said, leading to an overtime loss to the Castlegar Rebels on Saturday. The point earned in that game places the Thunder Cats in fourth place in the Kootenays International Junior Hockey League’s Eddie Mountain Division, ahead of the pointless Columbia Valley Rockies, and behind the first-place Golden Rockets and tied-for-second Kimberley Dynamiters and Fernie Ghostriders.
The Sept. 18 game in Golden was “a disappointing effort front to back,” said Dubois. “It didn’t feel that we were ready to compete.”
The Rockets scored twice in the first period, with Dylan Hogue scoring one between those for the Thunder Cats. The second period was scoreless until 1:49, when Thunder Cat Carson Cartwright netted a power-play goal, followed a minute later by the Rockets’ third goal. The Rockets scored twice in the third period, resulting in a 5-2 loss for Creston.
On Friday, the Thunder Cats hosted the Rockets for their home opener at the John Bucyk Arena, resulting in a much closer 3-2 loss. The Thunder Cats were down by one after the first period, thanks to a goal by Connor Ward, but the level of play could have been better.
“We came out weak,” said Dubois. “It was probably our poorest period of the preseason and regular season so far. That’s not what you’re hoping to put together for the first twenty minutes of your home opener.”
A second-period goal by Dalton Dubetz tied the score, but a power-play goal by the Rockets at 14:04 proved to be the game-winner.
The Thunder Cats hosted the Castlegar Rebels on Saturday, earning a point for a 3-2 overtime loss. The Rebels scored in the first period and a minute into the second, and the Thunder Cats responded with a shorthanded goal by Nicholas Kovacik at 11:54.
Marcel Fuchs tied the score 2-2 with a penalty shot at 5:50 in the third period, sending the game into overtime.
Although the Rebels ultimately won, Dubois felt the Thunder Cats’ level of play was much better that night.
“Unlike Thursday and Friday, overall the game was something we walked away feeling pretty positive about,” he said.
“We’re a different team than last year,” Dubois added. “We’re not as skilled, and we really have to work to compete for scoring chances.”
To that end, a new forward joined the team on the weekend, Lien Miller-Jeannotte, a Fort St. John native who is a “sharp” player.
“He’s going to be a really effective top six forward for us,” said Dubois.
This weekend, the Thunder Cats will again play three games, this time on a road trip and hosted by the Princeton Posse (Friday), Kelowna Chiefs (Saturday) and North Okanagan Knights (Sunday).
“It will be our first look at the other conference,” said Dubois. “The excitement level should be high, knowing we don’t want to go much longer without a win on the board. … We kind of figured out the level we need to play at and it’s a case of reproducing that. If we do, I think it will be a good trip.