The Creston Valley Thunder Cats earned five out of a possible six points this weekend, bringing them closer to the top of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Eddie Mountain Division.
The Thunder Cats now have 50 points, 10 behind the second-place Kimberley Dynamiters and 12 behind the Fernie Ghostriders. The Golden Rockets are in fourth with 32, and the Columbia Valley Rockies are a distant last, with seven.
The weekend started with an overtime loss to the Castlegar Rebels, in second place in the Neil Murdoch Division. The game that started with a Rebels goal in the first period. Jordan Johnson scored for the Thunder Cats in the second and third periods, and a goal by Tre Potskin tied the score with 2:27 left in regulation time. Just over a minute into overtime, Castlegar’s Tyler Robinson scored the game-winner.
“It showed a lot of resilience from our club,” said Thunder Cats head coach Brent Heaven. “We didn’t give up.”
The Thunder Cats earned a lopsided 8-4 victory over the Columbia Valley Rockies on Saturday, although fewer pucks should have gotten past goalies Michael Hails and Tyler Moffatt.
“We definitely could have played a better defensive game,” Heaven said. “They didn’t bring the same attitude as they do against a top team.”
Scott Swiston, Brandon Formosa (two) and Brock Ward scored in the first period, and Johnson and Potskin scored one each in both the second and third.
On Sunday, the Thunder Cats edged the Revelstoke Grizzlies. Trevor Hanna scored the first period’s only goal, followed by a shorthanded goal from Ward in the second period. Hanna scored again in the third to pull ahead of the Grizzlies, and Jesse Collins scored the game-winner at 11:04.
The Thunder Cats play once this weekend, visiting Fernie on Friday.
“When we play top teams, we bring our best effort, and I’m expecting to do that on Friday,” said Heaven.
That game is followed by a Tuesday visit to Golden, then a three-game weekend road trip to visit the Grizzlies, North Okanagan Knights and Rockets.