JOSH LOCKHART
The Kimberley Dynamiters continue to be hot, as they outscored their opponents 10-3, to win their 11th and 12th games in a row!
On Friday, despite doubling up the Creston Valley Thunder Cats, 4-2; the game could have been very different.
The Nitros were lucky to escape the first period tied at one, despite being scored on first and outshot 16-9. Ryan Bennet scored the only goal that period.
“We got dominated in the first period.” Head coach and general manager Derek Stuart said. “If it wasn’t for Brett Anderson, we would have definitely been down.”
In the tightly contested second period, the Nitros were able to take a 2-1 with a goal by Ryan Skytt.
However, the Thunder Cats were able to draw even on a power play goal. It was 2-2 after 40 minutes, and was anyone’s game.
At the midway point of the third, Spencer Kennedy scored his 14th of the year to break the tie and give the Nitros the lead.
Brock Palmer scored the “icing on the cake”goal on the power play with 91 seconds left.
Bennett was named the Away Star of the Game, and Brett Anderson made 29 saves in his 16th win of the season.
On Saturday, the potential first round matchup, Golden Rockets, rolled into town.
While this game had 112 penalty minutes, 75% of the penalty minutes - 87 minutes to be exact - went against the Golden Rockets. This lead to 14 power plays for the Kimberley Dynamiters.
However, similar to the game against Creston, the Rockets scored first.
Four minutes later, Palmer scored on the power play.
In the second period, Skytt and Derian Bamber both scored on the power play.
To start the third, the Nitros scored two goals within the first minute. Brady Daniels scored, on the power play, while Carter Spring scored the teams only even strength goal.
“We told them the flood gates would open if they kept doing what they were doing.” Stuart said. “When you get that many opportunities on the power play, you are going to score.”
Skytt would score his second power play goal of the game, and this game would finish 6-1 for the Nitros.
Adam Andersen made 17 saves for the win.
Skytt was named the Home Star of the Game, and has now scored at least one goal in the past five games, and has seven points during that time.
“It’s always good to put them in,” Skytt said. “Both those goals were unbelievable passed from Palmer and then Daniels. Got to credit them.”
The Nitros dressed two affiliate players this weekend. Defenceman Brayden Penner (‘02) dressed for Friday nights tilt, while forward Gavin Kennedy (‘03) debuted on Saturday. Both players are from Cranbrook, BC.
“Penner was outstanding [in Creston], very impressive actually. He was great defensively, and great with the puck.
“Kennedy unfortunately was in a spot where it was a special teams game. He got a few shifts on the penalty kill and the power play. He stayed in the game mentally.”
The Nitros now get ready for a repeat of this past weekends games, as they travel to Creston on Friday, and then host the Rockets on Saturday.
The Nitros will be looking to finish the regular season with their win streak intact.