The Fernie Ghostriders showed just how dangerous they can be, scoring early and often in a 5-2 Game 2 victory over the Castlegar Rebels Tuesday night in the Elk Valley.
The win means the best-of-seven KIJHL Kootenay Conference final is tied at one game apiece heading back to the West Kootenay.
After Connor McLaughlin opened the scoring just 48 seconds into the game, Fernie’s Cale Wright snuck a wrist shot from the left face-off circle past Castlegar goaltender Alex Ross to give the home side a 2-0 lead just 2:59 into the game.
Fernie’s Luke Richardson, a former Rebel, would add to the ‘Rider advantage before the period was out.
After Spencer Brodt cut the lead to 3-1 while short-handed, Castlegar product Scott Morisseau scored the first of his two goals to restore Fernie’s three-goal lead late in the second period.
Morisseau and Tyler Robinson would trade third-period tallies as the Ghostriders salvaged a split of the two games at the Fernie Memorial Arena.
Former Castlegar netminder Andrew Walton had a much better time of things, frustrating the Rebel attack, in particular the line of Robinson, Anthony DeLong and his younger brother Stuart Walton on several occasions.
Games 3 and 4 will be at the Complex on Thursday and Saturday nights, with a Game 5 now slated for Fernie on Monday.