’Twas a weekend of this and that.
The ‘this’ was a trundle down the highway to the Cheese Capital of Canada to churn up a 5-2 road win in Armstrong, thanks to the North Okanagan Knights.
The ‘that’ was a very entertaining home game versus the dastardly foes from the Big Smoke, resulting in a Kamloops Storm 4-3 overtime win.
The winter tale of the two games goes something like this…or that?
A bus full of diesel fumes and young men daydreaming about going home on the holiday break makes its way on Friday the 16th to the land of milk and cheese.
A well-coached and hardworking squad of Knights awaits, looking to steal two points from the gunslingers from Chase.
The head honcho chooses a special twig for Pat Brady and he doesn’t disappoint as he opens scoring, assisted by Cam Watson and Cody Hodges. That’s followed by old man Travis Beaubien on the power play from Josh Bourne and Kolten Moore.
After 20 minutes it’s 2-0.
In the second, youngster Brett Alexander pops in his first KIJHL goal and gets the monkey off his back, ably assisted by Evan Hughes and Landon Russell. However the Cheesey guys come to life and pop a pair from Jack Berger and Drayton Martin on a power play.
After 40 it’s 3-2. But in the third the Heat go to work getting a couple, the first from Michael Fidanza assisted by Beaubien and Hodges, and the second from Bourne aided by Fidanza and Mason Palaga.
This tale ends 5-2 for the Little Shuswap squad. Pizza, donuts and diesel are the spoils for the victors!
Maybe we could blame the result on sniffing diesel the night before, but Saturday night the 17th saw a thrilling, high-skilled exhibition of hockey-at-it’s-best at the Art Holding Memorial Arena.
The Kamloops Storm and the Chase Heat do not like each other but they do respect one another.
Late in the first, Hayden Dick gets the Loops Lads on the board. However, with less than three seconds to go in the period, Michael Howlett bangs in the equalizer from Brady and Cam Watson.
The Chasers pull ahead in the second with Beaubien banging in his rebound from Moore and Hodges. But Kamloops equals that with a goal from Devin Leduc.
In the third there is a repeat of the second, with Bourne scoring from Fidanza and Howlett, before things end up 3-3 in regulation time as the Storm’s Bryce McDonald does the evil deed.
Sudden death overtime lasts exactly 37 seconds before Tre Sales sends Kamloops down the new pavement home with a 4-3 win.
The Heat remain sixth overall in the 20 team KIJHL, first in their division, third in the conference and first overall on the powerplay.
In the league-wide scoring leaders, the Heat have eight players in the top 50 led by Fidanza in seventh spot.
Next on the agenda are the 100 Mile House Wranglers, Friday the 30th in Chase.
Peace, love and happiness to all!