This Tuesday the Fernie Ghostriders are hosting the Creston Thunder Cats for their first regular season visit to the Fernie Memorial Arena. Creston only played one game last weekend and it was a 5-4 shootout loss to Kimberley. So far the Thunder Cats have a 1-1-0-1 record.
Creston named 20 year old Luke Chakrabarti #14 as their Captain. Chakrabarti was the KIJHL’s Top Scorer last year with 39 goals and 78 points. He scored 2 goals in the Kimberley game last Friday and has 5 goals and 1 assist in his first three games. His younger brother Brother Max #8 plays D with the Cats as well..
Creston’s Head Coach and GM is Brad Tobin who is now in his second season with Creston. Gianni Mangone is the Assistant Coach and GM.
The Ghostriders only played one game last weekend and it was a 4-3 loss to Nelson. Ghostrider scorers were, #24 Eli Neilsen PP (Fournier-Kennedy) #12 Kaden Slobodian (Liam Monro) and #25 Taylor Haggerty SH (Kennedy- Munro). Aiden Kruhlak was in net.
After two games #6 Andrew Kennedy D and Forward Liam Monro #18 lead the Riders in scoring with 5 points each. D-man Eli Neilsen and F Cole Fournier #14 have 4 and 3 points.
The KIJHL and the PIJHL will take part in a Top Prospects Game in Kamloops on November 22nd. Last year Rider Coach Ty Valin and Trainer Nicholle Auger were part of that event as was #25 Taylor Haggerty, but because of an illness did not play. The Coaches and Players will be announced shortly.
Round’ the League
After outscoring their opponents 14-1 in their first 2 games the Columbia Valley Rockies lost 5-4 to the improved Castlegar Rebels who didn’t make the playoffs last year. Now the only undefeated team on our side is Beaver Valley, they have only played 2 games but they helped the Riders with wins against Golden and Kimberley. Kamloops is 3-0 with a 2-1 win against Creston. After missing three years due to Covid Spokane is back in the league, but they are starting from scratch and so far they have a 1-4 record.
The Ghostriders schedule will really start to kick in now, they play in Golden this Friday night, then bus home and play the North Okanagan Knights on Saturday Oct 7. After that they go on the road to Grand Forks, Spokane, Kamloops, 100 Mile House and Chase then back home on Friday October 27 to play Kimberley. See upcoming home games here.
