Scott Koch
Contributor
The Heat’s 52 passenger metal road monster left town Friday morning, Dec. 13, for the desert, home of the Osoyoos Coyotes.
Riding a seven-game win streak, Chase was hoping to extend it with a contest versus the Desert Dogs. A number of factors came into play; not enough desperado to play in the desert, fast versus flat, Coyotes howled and Heat fizzled out, too little too late, and most certainly it was Friday the 13th!
Facing a very hot goaltender in Curt Doyle, the Heat fired 44 shots, 23 in the third period, and lost. In the first, Colton Nikiforuk on the man advantage from Cam Watson and Breckin Erichuk opened scoring.
A little over three minutes later, Osoyoos tied it up 1-1 after 1. Five goals were scored in the second period, Erichuk from Nikiforuk and Hayden Wiebe, then a pair from the Coyotes. Trevor Kennedy scored on the power play assisted by Matthew Poole and Brandon Gremaud; however, the hosts scored the game winner on the man advantage before 40 minutes were completed. In spite of a 23-shot bombardment by the Heat in the third, the Chase team was chased out of Osoyoos by a 4-3 loss.
The next night, Saturday, Dec. 14, Chase faced the Posse in Princeton. The Heat struck twice in the first period, Gavin Mattey from Luke Recchi and Erichuk before Evan Hughes from Gremaud and Rhys Lepine. In the second stanza, Chase popped in another pair, Nikiforuk from Erichuk and Watson, before Erichuk got his first of the game from Nikiforuk and Lepine. In the third period, Erichuk got his second goal from Jayden Russell and Jacob Biensch. Led by the 33-stop shutout performance of star Vince Bennedetto, the Heat won 5-0 to get back to winning ways.
Erichuk over the two games scored three goals and three assists, to lead the locals in scoring while sitting eighth overall in the KIJHL.
On Tuesday, the 17th, Heat scored a 5-3 win over guests the Wranglers from 100 Mile House. The Heat dominated the first frame with goals from Caleb Biensch, Russell and a pair by Hayden Wiebe. Nikiforuk added a marker in the second frame.
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Next up is a road contest in Sicamous versus the Eagles on Friday the 20th. On Saturday the 21st, the Heat’s back at the Art Holding Memorial Arena to face off against the Kelowna Chiefs. Bring the kids for a big treat and help rock the Chaos Castle in the last contest before a short Christmas break!
Heat Beat: Erichuk, Hughes, Nikiforuk and Mattey are all in the top 25 in scoring league wide. Wiebe sits just outside at 30th. Bennedetto, stats wise, is 2nd for goalies in the KIJHL.