Round two of the playoffs are underway and the weekend’s games indicated that this will be a great series between two talented and well-matched teams, as the Fernie Ghostriders and the Columbia Valley Rockies each walked away with a win.
After knocking out the Creston Valley Thunder Cats 4-1 in round one, the Ghostriders carried on their winning momentum and secured a resounding 6-2 victory in game one against the Rockies on home ice on Friday, Mar. 8.
Jack Lambert put his team on the board with the only goal of the first period.
Dayden Collier would score on the power play nine minutes into the second kicking off a flurry of action, with a goal from Kyler Watson three minutes later to give the Ghostriders a temporary 3-0 lead.
Never one to go quietly, the Rockies surged to life and scored two goals in quick succession late in the second, and the game headed into the third with only one goal separating the two teams.
The Ghostriders commanded the third period with goals from Ben Skarsen, Taylor Haggerty and Coden Fournier, the latter two happening on two of Columbia Valley’s five penalties that period.
The Ghostriders outshot the Rockies 40-25 and left game one instilled with confidence with a dominant 6-2 win.
However, the Rockies, who handily eliminated reigning KIJHL champions Kimberley in round one, proved they are a force to be reckoned with in game two. After a scoreless first period, Columbia Valley opened the scoring early in the second. Fernie’s Coden Fournier tied things up halfway through the third, but three unanswered goals from Columbia Valley and a fantastic performance from their goalie Nate Glenn, who stopped 36 shots, made for a 4-1 loss for Fernie and the series is tied heading into game three.
Games three and four are on Monday and Tuesday March 11 and 12 in Columbia Valley.