So the tale of September is that your Chase Heat finished with a four-win, two-loss record. They did it by beating the best of the best in the KIJHL!
Heat Family Weekend was of special note, as the annual golf tournament was book-ended by the two teams that fought during the finals in last season’s playoffs for the KIJHL championship. Not one of the games in the past month were against a foe the Heat could take a night off for.
Friday, Sept. 25 saw the KIJHL league champion Kimberley Dynamiters travel to our lakeside community for an epic battle that went into overtime. In the first, no scoring but stellar goaltending at both ends of the rink. In the second, Chase was first on the board with a marker from Travis Beaubien, assisted by Spencer Farstad and Pat Brady. The KIJHL leading scorer from the Kaboom crew got that one back with 20 seconds left in the period.
Once again, stellar goaltending in the third.
Off to overtime and with the Heat on the power play, Michael Fidanza from Alexander Durbeniuk and Logan Mostat sent the local crowd home happy.
The Heat successfully killed all seven power-play opportunities against the league’s top scorers, and Nic Bruyere went the distance in net for the victory.
Sunday afternoon saw a matinee matchup versus our neighbours the Kamloops Storm. Art Holding Memorial Arena saw fans on the edges of their seats as these two teams are arch rivals. In the first, Mostat got things started, assisted by Tommy Brown and Kolten Moore. Kamloops popped in a short-handed goal to end the period and then took the lead less then thee minutes into the second. The Heat then got that one back to notch things up at two by Braden Hughes, aided by Zachary Fournier.
In the third, more stellar tending by Bruyere and his counterpart at the other end. In the second overtime period, the shot of the game came off the stick of Spencer Farstad, unassisted for two huge points for the homeside.
In this contest, the Heat successfully killed all 10 extra-man opportunities for the visitors. Bruyere faced 72 shots in the two games allowing only three goals!
Hot Topics: The fifth annual golf tournament at Sunshore was a success as families, friends and fans rubbed elbows and told tall tales alongside the players.
The stunning third jerseys were unveiled on Sunday versus the Storm. Black with colourful trim and a new-look logo on the chest. It made the fans discuss fashion at a hockey contest.
Next up on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. are the cowboys from the Cariboo, the 100 Mile House Wranglers. Saturday, the boys are at MacArthur Island in the ’Loops to face the Storm and Sunday back at home at 2 p.m. versus the Golden Rockets.
Thanks go out to our loyal fan base that does a great job of encouraging the players towards success.