SCOTT KOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
The Chase Heat Hockey Club is a pair of games away from taking a break from the mad dash of shinny on hard water.
After a road trip to Sicamous on Tuesday the 19th and a home game versus 100 Mile House on Friday the 22nd, the boys head home for some family time until 2018.
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The past weekend had one game on the schedule, a battle at the Art Holding Memorial Arena versus the Little Apple crew, the Kelowna Chiefs. Friday the 15th kept the fans entertained with a fast-paced, end-to-end battle of skills. Chase on the man-advantage was rewarded with the only goal in the first. Last season’s leading scorer Michael Fidanza, from Kolten Moore and Kaden Black, did the deed.
In the 2nd, Black added to the outcome assisted by Josh Bourne and Ryan Okino. However, the Chiefs were not prepared to roll over and call it quits, as they got one back. At the end of 40 minutes it was a 2-1 game.
In the third, the flood gates opened and goals poured in. It was Pat Brady from Bourne and Moore, followed 24 seconds later by a Kelowna power-play marker. Then Bourne restored the two-goal lead from Black and Grady Musgrave.
The Chiefs wouldn’t quit and fired their second power-play counter to create an edge-of-seat, nail-biting, final five minutes. But “Black Friday” Black reached into his trunk of tricks and finished off the foes with a last-minute, power-play, empty-net tally. The end of game result was a thrilling 5-3 victory for the Heat.
In 2018 the Heat meet up again at home on Friday, January the 5th versus the Wranglers from 100 Mile House. In the break, Mom’s baking and quality time with family and friends will refuel the fire in the Heat as the stretch drive in the regular season arrives.