It may have technically an away game, but it felt a lot like home at Western Financial Place in Cranbrook Tuesday night, as the Kimberley Dynamiters took on the Golden Rockets.
Over 1300 people turned out to watch the game.
The Rockets are calling Cranbrook home until problems with the ammonia plant at their home arena are rectified.
The Dynamiters took the lead in the first with a goal from Josh Makarchuk, from Cam Russell and Noah Danforth.
Golden replied early in the second, with Liam Morris getting the goal. Brock Palmer, from Keegan McDowell and Cam Reid, put the Nitros ahead again later in the same period.
There was no scoring in the third.
Head Coach and General Manager Derek Stuart will take the two points, but he wasn’t particularly impressed with the team’s efforts.
“We were not very good at all,” he said. “I don’t have many good things to say. We didn’t work hard enough, didn’t sacrifice. There were a lot of bail outs, unfinished checks.”
Asked if the team may be slightly distracted with the holidays, and a trip home for many players, looming, Stuart said he wasn’t sure. Preparation for the game wasn’t good, and Stuart said he knew from that, there could be problems.
“But it’s just one game, hopefully we’ll play better on Friday.”
If the team didn’t impress the coach, the crowd certainly did.
“It was an outstanding crowd. It was amazing to see so many people come out. I just wish we could have played better for them.”
The Dynamiters are now 15 points ahead of their nearest rival in the division, the Fernie Ghostriders, who they host on Friday, the last game before the Christmas break.