The Ghostriders –click on the photos for a better view-
ended a two game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the struggling Kamloops Storm last Saturday night here in Fernie.
This game started out poorly for the Ghostriders who were badly outplayed for the first ten minutes or so and were down 2-0 for awhile. Storm forward Duncan Schultz scored the first goal on a lucky deflection just 47 seconds into the game and Kamloops top scorer Bevin Ollek ( Rai-Edwards) scored their second goal a few minutes later. With the goal the Storm seemed to be in control but with about eight minutes left in the period Jesse Niemi scored a PP goal after Brendan Hawryluk outworked everyone around him and fed him the puck.
With that goal the momentum started changing and the Ghostriders gradually took over the game. The next goal was from the aforementioned Brendan Hawryluk only this time his brother Bond did all the work and Brendan scored the goal and Niemi picked up another point with an assist. The score was 2-2 after one and the shots were 14-7 for the Riders.
The second was all Fernie as James Werner -left photo-who had several chances on the night scored a nice one from Mitch Board and Jordan Hirano, then Zach Fridella sent Tim Crawley in on a breakaway for the fourth goal. Brendan Mangone had the other assist on the goal. The shots were even in this period but Fernie controled the play and had the best chances.
In the third Kamloops had a few good chances but Jason Greenwell shut the door as did Anthony Manfredi for the Storm until the last minute when the Hawryluk brothers worked the puck to Jesse Niemi for his second goal and 40th point on the season. The game ended 5-2 for the Riders then we saw-
Notebook
Have the Hawryluk brothers found a trigger-man ? Jesse Niemi -left photo-played with the brothers on Saturday and scored two goals and the line teamed up for eight points and three goals…No matter who the Hawryluk’s play with they always seem to spend their time around the other team’s net, but sometimes they don’t score as much as they should with all the chances they create. Maybe Niemi who was named as the first star is the guy…Brendan Hawryluk was the third star and James Werner who could have had four or five points was the second star…Zach Fridella got away with a questionable hit in the third and was a pest to the Storm players all night with little jabs etc., he makes the Riders a harder team to play against.
And Finally
The Kamloops Storm came into this game after a 6-5 O/T loss in… Invermere… yes that’s correct, Invermere, but the Storm are shorthanded this weekend mostly because they cut-down to (I’m told 19 players) so they can bring in six new players before the end of the season. (All teams had to be down to a total of 25 players and cards on Dec. 1st) The Storm will be hosting the Keystone Cup in April so getting six new top end players to go with what they have now will make these guys a much better team that won’t lose easily. Too bad Fernie didn’t play these guys after the January 10th deadline.
Mike Weist -photo on the left- was at the game on Saturday and tells us he’s gonna play December 28 against the hated Nitros. Next home game is Friday Dec. 1 vs Golden on Teddy Bear Toss Night.
