After a 6–1 loss in Kimberley last Tuesday, the Fernie Ghostriders hit the reset button — and the road — in dramatic fashion. Facing a daunting three-games-in-three-nights stretch against Quesnel, Williams Lake, and 100 Mile House, the Riders stormed back to win all three, silencing critics and showing new life after a rough 3-8-1-1 start.
But before the victories came the changes. With GM Chad Scharff admittedly “antsy,” the team made several roster moves designed to shake things up. Walker Overwater was traded to Revelstoke in exchange for Carter Singleton, while forward Dylan Konschuh was picked up from Osoyoos — bringing experience from stints in Kamloops and Sicamous. Newly acquired Parker Cutts was then moved to Columbia Valley for 6’1”, 190-pound forward Easton Doan, who joins the lineup after serving a three-game suspension.
The blue line also saw reinforcements. Defencemen Nate Turton and Koa Percival both returned from injury, while Liam Breakenridge remains sidelined. Turton made an immediate impact, posting a goal and an assist over the weekend, and Percival — described by Scharff as an “elite skater” — scored his first goal as a Rider in 100 Mile. The team’s defensive depth is starting to look much stronger heading into November.
Following the sweep, GM Scharff praised his team’s resilience:
“We came up north with our backs against the wall and knew something had to change,” said Scharff. “We had some honest conversations and made sure we were all on the same page. Credit to the boys for having a clear mindset and winning three tight games against three good teams up north.”
He added that new additions Singleton and Konschuh have “added a different look” and balanced all four lines. Goalie den Besten, who started all three games, was another standout:
“He allowed us to settle into games when we weren’t at our best and chip away for the full game, coming away with wins in three close games,” Scharff said.
The GM isn’t sugar-coating the road ahead, though:
“We’ve dug ourselves into a hole and have to keep finding ways to climb out of a slow start to the season.”
Still, after a weekend of grit, chemistry, and clutch goaltending, the Riders return home with momentum — and a sense that the season has turned a corner.
The Merritt Centennials will visit Fernie on November 22. Expect a fired-up Ghostriders lineup ready to prove this comeback stretch was no fluke.
Source: Riders News
Photo: Sawyer Samycia
