Creston Valley Thunder Cats shook off a slow start after a two-week layoff and skated to a 3-2 come from behind win over Fernie Ghostriders on Saturday night.
“We did a good job bounding back from a sub-par first period,” coach Jeff Dubois said on Monday. “We came out of the gate pretty slow, which probably isn't a big surprise when it's your first game in two weeks. But we picked up the energy level in the second and third periods and did what we needed to recover from being down two goals. It's not how you want to do it every night out, but it's good to have the experience of gutting out a win when you don't have your A-game.”
Riley Siebel and Aidan Wilson scored for Fernie in the first period, but two quick goals by Thomas Cankovic and Lien Miller Jeannotte (Aiden Wong and Justen James) scored in the first three minutes of the middle frame to tie the game. Brodie Smith notched the only marker in the third period, on assists from Paxton Malone and Liam Plunkett.
“I thought our discipline level let us down a bit in the second period. We had a great start, scored two goals and then went shorthanded four times and lost any momentum we had built up,” Dubois said. “Patrick Ostermann made some big saves to keep the game close after a bit of a tough start, and it was good to see him rebound like that. Brodie Smith scored another big goal, which we've just sort of gotten used to by now.”
Osterman faced 25 shots while Fernie goalie Brandon Youngson was busier, stopping 36 of the 39 shots Creston threw at him.
The Thunder Cats are now tied with Kimberley Dynamiters with 50 points each in the KIJHL Eddie Mountain Division. Kimberley holds the lead as they have a one-game edge in wins. Beaver Valley Nitehawks have overcome both, though, and now have 53 points to lead the league. They also have a game in hand over Creston and Kimberley.
The Cats have 14 regular season games left, divided evenly between home and away contests. They return to action Friday night with a home tilt against the Spokane Braves. On Saturday they travel to Nelson to take on the Leafs, who now sit in fourth place in the Neil Murdoch Division.