A good test for the Golden Rockets last weekend, as they hosted a pair of home games against Eddie Mountain Divisional rivals. And in the end, the local stars came away with three out of a possible four points.
Friday evening against Fernie, the first period saw a close-checking affair with little room to manoeuvre on the ice. Both clubs managed eight shots on net, and each found the back of the net once. Rockets Jackson Gair opened the scoring at 7:04 with a power-play marker from Brock McIlwain and Maddox DePasquale. Fernie replied just over a minute later with a Ben Skarsen goal.
Golden was tested defensively in the middle stanza, when the Ghostriders fired no less than 22 shots at Beck Boiteau in the Rockets’ cage, and the fiery netminder was equal to the task. The two squads traded goals near the midway mark of the period, with Jackson Roberts moving Golden in front at 8:25 (assists to Hayden Iron Shirt and Kieran Patterson). Parker Cutts replied for Fernie three minutes later.
Before the second frame ended, however, Rockets Cooper Thompson combined with Brandon Spilchen and Maddox DePasquale to move the locals into the lead at 3-2.
Despite again being outshot in the third period, the Rockets weren’t to be deterred on this night, striking for a pair of tallies early. Brett Krawchuk needed just 1:44 to get things moving, finishing off a nice play from Jackson Roberts and Kieran Patterson. Then just 14 seconds later, Fernie was caught napping, as veteran Brock McIlwain salted the game away with an unassisted marker. Golden ran into some penalty trouble late in the period, but the visitors couldn’t connect, as Boiteau shut down all opposition drives.
The final score was identical to two weeks prior at 5-2. The win moved Golden closer to Creston for second place in the divisional standings, now just one point behind the ThunderCats.
And, as Saturday night rolled around, those same Cats were in town to do battle in a game that needed an overtime session.
Newcomer Austin Bruce scored his first goal of the season for the Rockets midway through the first period. Assists Richard Urvald and Ben Holden.
Creston struck for a pair of tallies in the second frame, before talented rearguard Maddox DePasquale found the range on a setup from Brett Krawchuk and Brock McIlwain at 16:13. That deadlocked the game at 2-2.
No scoring in the third period and, in the extra 5-minute OT, Creston’s Jordan Gale found the winner with less than one minute remaining.
Final score was 3-2. Rocket’s netminder Seth Goodstriker, making his first start of the season, was outstanding in net and came up with several sparkling saves.
The key contests for the Kicking Horse crew continue with just a single game this weekend, when they travel to Kimberley to match skills with the Dynamiters on Saturday, November 1st. The two clubs will hold a rematch the following Friday, November 7th, here at the Plywood Palace.
