Postgame: Braves - 3 Nitehawks - 6

 (BV leads series 1-0)

Game 1: Braves 3 - Nitehawks 6

The weather wasn't friendly outside with snow falling over most parts of the Kootenays this evening. This didn't stop the Nitehawk faithful as they came to watch their league leading team begin the 2011/12 playoffs against the Spokane Braves!

Going against their normal routine, the Nitehawks exited the dressing room first and took the ice. I cant think of another time at any point in any game that the Nitehawks were the first to take the ice, either home or away. Before we could drop the puck, some league awards were given out.

Beaver Valley Nitehawks - Regular Season Champion Banner (presented to C.Derochie)
Chris Derochie - Neil Murdoch Division - Top Scorer & Most Sportsmanlike Player
Craig Martin - Neil Murdoch Division - MVP & Top Rookie
Terry Jones - Neil Murdoch AND League - Top Coach

Now, my sources have said that Osoyoos Coyote Dexter Dancs received honors for League Top Rookie. Not being able to see the boy play, I cant make any determination on that. But when you have a rookie that has one of THE best seasons of any rookie in a good number of years, and he doesnt win, there is something fishy. I'm a little biased sure, but lets look at the numbers here.


Craig Martin 

SEASON	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	P/G	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	PIM
2011/12	Beaver Valley Nitehawks	50	48	48	96	1.9	0	18	1	4	0	17

Dexter Dancs

SEASON	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	P/G	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	PIM
2011/12	Osoyoos Coyotes	42	29	38	67	1.6	0	9	0	8	0	49

I can leave you all with that and you make your own ascertation as to what is up. Now, on to the game....

Spokane stunned the crowd at the BVA just 1:20 in on a failed pinch play that allowed Machuga and N.Redding to blast in 2-on-1. Redding didnt miss and it was 1-0 Braves quickly! Nitehawk captain, Chris Derochie ties the game 3 mins later on the pp to settle the crowd down. Craig Martin gives BV the lead just past the 10 min mark and Nick Perez gets another ppg before the period is out and BV takes a 3-1 lead into the break.

The first 5 minutes of period 2 was a carry-over from the first. BV controlled the majority of the play until Machuga took a X-checking penalty and the Nitehawks head to their third power play. Having been aces on the first two, they got lax and Spokane made them pay, bigtime!! Ref was screened slightly and thus missed a slew-foot on Niminiken that allowed the puck to be sent back around the BV net where it was tossed out front to Dippolito who made no mistake finding the back of the net. Just :24 later, Dippolito was at it again. This time he returned the favor and got it to Tappe who squeaked it past the outstreched glove of Perehudoff, and suddenly we have a tie game!! Two shorties in :24 seconds and the BV crowd has been stunned once more. Craig Martin rectified that and got his 2nd of the night on that very same power play to put some life back into the crowd once more and give BV the much needed 4-3 lead. A seeing-eye slapshot from Brantley Schapansky, that had Amatto stunned for what seemed like foreever, found the 5-hole and BV regained their 2 goal lead into the 2nd intermission.

The third period got rough! The first 10 minutes were well played with great chances and even better saves by Amatto. BV started to finish their checks and hammer their point across. Spokane tried to fight back, but their smaller size wasnt really affecting much other than to annoy the Nitehawks until an absolutely brutal shift that saw every Spokane player crushed through the boards with remarkably legal hits. After that, the frustrated Braves took several "silly" penalties that put them on the pk for the remainder of the game. In all the mix, Ryan Edwards scored a shorty of his own with the helper from Derochie.

Game Stars: (again, NOT chosen by me)

BV - Chris Derochie
BV - Craig Martin
BV - Ryan Edwards

The story of tonight was the return of rookie Scott Davidson! Having not played since Oct 15, some 42 games, Scott came out skating and hitting hard receiving a charging penalty on his very first shift of the night. Davidson was out with a knee injury that was suffered in an off-ice incident that required surgery to repair. Now that he is back, expect big things from the 16yr old in these playoffs!

I originally reported before the game, that Jacob Boyczuk and Dallas Calvin were healthy scratches. I was told that was NOT the case afterwards. Calvin is still being bothered by his lower body injury, while Boyczuks injury was undisclosed to me at this time.

Game 2 goes tomorrow, Feb 25th,  at 7:30pm again at the Beaver Valley Arena. Thank You to all that braved the snow tonight to show your support for the Nitehawks!!

1-down....15 to go!!