Postgame: Dynamiters - 3 Nitehawks - 6

First of all, I would like to apologize to each and every one of my readers. I know, as well as you know, that it is spelled "Nitehawks", NOT "Nighthawks" like I have been in the last few blog entries. I would LIKE to blame it on the rain, but being the middle of winter, I dont think that will fly. What I really must do, is try and stop performing the late night posts. Ya right! Thats gonna happen!! Since we are here anyway..........

A HUGE win for the home squad tonight!! Facing down a Kimberley team that has been surging until recently, Beaver Valley came to play!!

Kimberley has a well coached and, for the first period at least, a very disciplined team. The task at hand for BV was to try and stifle a solid offense along with breaking down a stingy defense. While the Nitehawks had several good controlling shifts in the first, they managed only 8 shots to the Nitros 13. Big Mike Vlanich was the story of the night with a few NHL quality saves in which he was cleanly beaten but still somehow managed to smother the beachball Kimberley was tossing his way. Mason Spear, who played 36 games with Kimberley before being traded to Fernie and then BACK to BV last season, scored the only goal of the first with 45 seconds remaining.

Nitehawks took that lead into the second where Ryan Edwards stunned the Nitro bench with a goal just 11 seconds in. After having nearly flawless discipline in the first, Kimberley takes its first penalty just over a minute into period 2. Justin Niminiken made them pay for it netting BV's 3rd goal 21 secs into the pp and just 1:25 into the second had a 3 goal lead. But they weren't done. With just over 7 mins to play in the second, Kimberley would take their 2nd penalty of the game, and BV would capitalize once again. This time Niminiken would feed Spear for his 2nd of the game. Hot Hot Hot Christian Johnson(9G-4A-13pts in last 5 games), who I believe should get a "most improved player" award for this season, made it 5-0 Nitehawks with 47 seconds left in the second to give BV a huge lead heading into the third.

 Either it was a coaching decision(doubtful) or just the thought of a 5 goal lead, but the Nitehawks came out and played a highly defensive game for the third. The defense was absolutely stellar all game so there should have been no need to fear. Given the potent offense of Kimberley, I would have thought a defensive game should be saved for the final 5 mins or so, NOT the entire period! On goals by NOW league scoring leader Senate Patton, Jordan Revie(ppg) and Taylor McDowell(ppg), Kimberley climbed back into the game with plenty of time to draw even. This is when the Nitehawk defense sealed the holes and Big Mike shut the door with more saves to frustrate the Nitro forwards. Kimberley sealed their fate when, taking a penalty with just over a minute remaining, they pulled their goalie. Craig Martin would pot the empty-netter to ice the cake and blow out the fuses as BV sends Kimberley packing.

In case any are wondering, yes, the ref missed several calls, and called some that were a bit wishy-washy. Overall, the calls were made fairly to both sides which is the way it should be.

Game Stars:

BV - Mason Spear 2G 1A
BV - Christian Johnson 1G 2A
KD - Rylan Duley 1A

Tonight was opening night of the "Catch The Fever" weekend celebrating 30 years in the KIJHL for the Beaver Valley Nitehawks. Crowd size wasnt what we had hoped for, but there is still tomorrow nights game against the Castlegar Rebels. Game time is again 7:30. Volunteers are asked to show up at least 1 hour early to help get set up.