Monday 27 November 2017

The Boston Pizza Player of the Month for November is #23 Grayson Neufeld

November 27th update

Saturday’s Game- In Sparwood

The Ghostriders play the Grand Forks Border Bruins Saturday  This will be the third and final regular season game with the Bruins this year. The last game was in October and the Bruins won 4-2 and on September 8th  in Grand Forks the Bruins won 4-3 in overtime.

The Bruins got off to a good start and were battling for first or second place for a while but are now in fourth and have  1-8-1 record in their last 10 games. So a shake up was due and last week Head Coach and GM Emery Olauson traded his top scorer, 20 year old Jordan Robertson, to Revelstoke for two younger players Jack McNamara and Zane Avery. Robertson was leading the whole league in scoring for several weeks so something bad musta happened.

Ghostrider Notebook


Fernie could get an outdoor rink read more here


The Ghostriders
lost 3-2 in Creston last Friday then trounced the Golden Rockets 7-2 on Saturday.

On Friday smooth skating Tristan Downe was named as the Player of the Game and Matt Rogers scored the lone Rider goal.

On Saturday Keelan Saworski had 2 goals and 2 assists was the Player of the Game. The other goal scorers were Kevin Pierce, Brendan Nemes, Ryan Partaker (his first as a Ghostrider ) Matt Rogers (scored in both games) and Jace Woodley (4th goal in last 5 games). Mitch Titus chipped in with 3 assists and now has 7G 15A.

Broc Merkl played both games in net last weekend, he had a fairly easy night against the Rockets but had 42 shots in Creston where he played well enough to give his team a chance to win. Broc was named as the Tim Horton’s Player of the Week.

All the best to Barry Wolff who was let go by the Coquitlam Express today. Wolff spent 3 years in Fernie in the junior A days and another year in 2012-13. After leaving Fernie for Coquitlam his Express won the BCHL Championship.


Injuries

Goaltender Zak Larson is still a few weeks away from playing. Forward’s Greg Susinski and Owen Titus are also still a few weeks away while Kyle Haugo is day to day.
Shaun Pierce only played 1 game again last week and was day to day when this was written.

Kimberley and Creston
These two had a beauty last Saturday featuring KD Lucas Purdy getting a Match (7games) Harrison Risen (5 games) and Mason Palaga (2 games) There are more from both Kimberley and Creston along with Kelowna Nelson Revelstoke, below is a screen shot but it's easier to read right here

Saturday 25 November 2017

Fernie and Creston win Saturday

Golden 2 @ Fernie 7

In Sparwood  Keelan Saworski had 2 goals  2 assists and Mitch Titus had 3 assists as the Riders outshoot Golden 50-24and win 7-2. Rocket's F Jake Gudjonson had both GR goals.

Creston 8 @ Kimberley 1

In Kimberley  Ron Wilkie scored 3 goals and added 2 assists and Liam Plunkett had a goal and 3 assists as  Creston hammers the Nitros and gets within 6 points of first place . Several amusing PIM, especially in the 3rd ... click on the score to view.


Spokane 6 @ Columbia Valley 1

In Invermere Kyle Donaldson scored 2 and Paxton Malone and Dawson Tritt each had a goal and an assist as Spokane gets a big 6-1 road win.


Friday 24 November 2017

The Eddie Mountain report for Friday Nov 26th

Fernie 1 @ Creston 3

In Creston Ron Wilkie had a goal and an assist and Justen James and Austin Canete (SH) each scored a goal as Creston earned their 14th win on the season. Levi Mitchell had the win in net in front of 593 fans.

Columbia Valley 1 @ Kimberley 5

In Kimberley 593 fans saw five different Nitro's score and Adam Anderson get the win in net for Kimberley's 36th point on the season. 

Spokane 8 @ Golden 4 

In Golden Trail Thompson had 2 goals and  3 assists and Paxton Malone picked up a goal and 2 assists as Spokane inches their way closer to a playoff spot. 





Sunday 19 November 2017

Sunday night Nov 19

Ghostrider Notes from November 19th


Jace Woodley has played centre for the last three games and has scored a goal in each of those games... prompting HC Craig Mohr to say something along the lines of rhymes with truck, "I should have had him there sooner!"

Woodley was a winger in Sicamous last season and had 20G but wasn't scoring here in Fernie, so who knew ... sometimes science experiments work. Woodley was also the  Tim Horton's Player of the Week.

Shaun Pierce  played his first game in a few weeks vs Nelson and Matt Rogers  played both games last week. The training staff only let Pierce play one game... hopefully that 16 year old big mobile body is available for both games next weekend.

Speaking of Craig Mohr, and we just were, a debate between referee Cydnie Rice and Mohr in the Rockies game resulted in the coach getting a 2 game suspension, that I believe is being appealed... a real he said she said... just like in divorce court...you don't get to say that in hockey very often.

Jordan Kromm had the game winner and an assist in the 3-2 win in Invermere, he was also the FGR Player of the Game. There was some concern in the Nelson game the next night when he was hit hard into the boards by a much larger Leaf player, but he finished the game. If he was 20 pounds heavier he would easily power through all the checking instead of having to stick handle through it... but then he wouldn't be here...

Cory Caldwell (00) was named as the McDonald's Practice Player of the Week, this is his first year as a full time player and really first year playing a full schedule because of the not always having enough players in midget problem in the valley... keep on battling Cory.

Ethan Jang, a 16 yr old, took a stick from Rockies Mike Dyck Friday then fought him, both players got a 1 game suspension because it was in the last 10 min. Wonder if Rockies HC Wade Dubielewicz was happy his top scorer was out in the last 3 minutes of a 3-2 game they were losing.
If you have to fight, takin out a top scorer is always good.

Jake Hryhoriw, pronounced Hryhoriw scored his first of the year in Invermere and Greg Susinski had a goal vs Nelson, both players were D-men earlier in the season.

Mitch Titus and Keelan Saworski were both shutout last weekend, that has never happened, but Brendan Nemes chipped in with a goal vs Nelson.

Grayson Neufeld (20yrs old) leads the D in scoring and probably every other defensive category, sure wish he was just 18... never mind him...I wish I was 18, or 38 or even 58 ahhh Im f##*d.

The Riders and Nelson each had 37 shots and several big hits but Fernie lost 6-3. Former Nitro Sawyer Hunt had 3 assists for the NL, even when they get traded the SOB's still haunt you.

Devyn Stewart got an obvious stick in the face right in front of the referee but no call so he gave the player a chop in the leg, who knew the ref was a leg man...  Nelson scored on the PP. It happens all the time so we should get used to it, but we never do.


KIJHL teams played 2 games in Quesnel last weekend, no attendance was announced, but the KI is going to have a team there sooner than later.

The Riders are in Creston on Friday and that is a Drive 99.1 radio broadcast game with Josh Hoffman at the mike. On Saturday they play Golden in Sparwood.







Friday 17 November 2017

Fernie and Creston won Friday night.

Fernie 3 @ Invermere 2

In Invermere 400 fans saw Jordan Kromm score what would turn out to be the game winner in the second period. Jace Woodley (PP) and Jake Hryhoriw scored the other Rider goals and Broc Merkl had the win in net. 
Ryan Skitt scored both Rockies goals on the PP and Josh King played his first ever game in net with the CVR.

Creston 8 @ Grand Forks 1

In Grand Forks Liam Plunkett had 5 Justen James 4 points and Ron Wilkie scored 3 G as the Thundercats routed GFBB 8-1. The shots were 59-28 CVT and the Bruins are now on a 4 game losing streak.

Nelson 6 @ Golden 1

In Golden the Nelson Leafs battled (literally) the Rockets and won 6-1.Ryan Cooper had 2 G 1A and Logan Wullum had 3 A in a hard fought game featuring several fights and shots were 51-28 Nelson.






Thursday 16 November 2017

Ghostrider update Nov 16

Saturday’s Game

The Nelson Leafs are in town Saturday night. 

These guys have 34 points and are first place overall in the KIJHL so you don't want to miss this game. 

Last weekend Nelson had two road wins in Grand Forks and Castlegar and are on a 4 game win streak.

Mario DiBella is Nelson’s head coach and director of player personal and Sean Dooley is the GM and assistant coach.

The Ghostriders

The Ghostriders only played one game last weekend and lost 5-4 in double overtime to the Rockies. The Riders were down 4-0 after the first period but scored 4 goals in the third to force the OT. Mitch Titus (2) Keelan Saworski and  Jace Woodley scored the goals, Broc Merkl was in net. 

The teams will warm up Friday night, Fernie plays in Invermere (A Drive 99.1 Radio Broadcast Game)  and Nelson is in Golden.

Rider Notebook

With 2 goals and an assist last week and 10 points in his last four games Mitch Titus has now caught Keelan Saworski for the Riders top scorer with 19 points. Saworski is not easy to catch, he has had at least a point in every game he has played in this year.

Kyle Haugo was the Tim Horton’s Player of the Week and Ethan Jang was the McDonald’s Practice Player of the Week.

Millions of comments anyway.

The Kimberley Dynamiters were in the news a few weeks ago when someone named Mike Gould said he was giving Kimberley more than 7 million dollars. So far no millions of dollars just millions of comments on the always newsworthy Fecesbook saying he may not have any money. Or is it like buying a house and it takes months to close... I have no idea, but stoning him in the city centre seems a bit harsh... even to me.







Injuries
Shaun Pierce has been skating and is likely to play at least one game this weekend. Matt Rogers is ready to go but Owen Titus is still a few weeks away as is goaltender Zak Larson.

Teams I may have to be nicer to... oh oh too late

The Ghostrider broadcast crew and the whole Rider organization thanks Kimberley for bringing their internet broadcasting equipment to Sparwood while the Riders await entrance to the arena to get their equipment back. And and even bigger thanks from Dan and Ted go out to the Columbia Valley Rockies for bringing their equipment and then lending their old equipment to the Riders until they get their own stuff back.

The Riders are in Invermere this Friday and in Creston next Friday and they are both Drive 99.1 radio broadcast games with Josh Hoffman at the mike. Then next Saturday the Golden Rockets are in town to play the Riders. 





Friday 10 November 2017

Friday night in the EM Division

Columbia Valley 5 @ Fernie 4 OT

In Sparwood Jaret Bort scored in double OT to give the Rockies a 5-4 road win. 
The Rockies were up 4-0 after the first but the Ghostriders scored 4 in the third (2PPG) to tie the game. 

Josh Antunes had 2G for CVR and Mitch Titus had 2G 1A for the Riders. The shots were 56-44 FG. Broc Merkl FG and Ben Kelsch were in net.

Kimberley 2 @ Creston 3

In Creston Tyler Witzke scored the GW, Liam Plunkett had 1G 1A and Levi Mitchell stopped 27 for the win.
Creston outshot Kimberley 47-29

Beaver Valley 6 @ Golden 2

In Golden Brad Ross scored 2G and Owen Sikkes had the win in net for the Hawks who outshot Golden 56-26.




Wednesday 8 November 2017

Riders lose 5-4 Tuesday night

The Ghostriders lost 5-4 to Kimberley Tuesday night in Sparwood on a fluke goal from a point shot that bounced around before going in.

Mason Palaga got the goal but in another era he wouldn't even be on the ice. Palaga went to the Rider bench and challenged the Riders smallest player Mitch Titus to fight then said he would fight anyone else... but when Jake Hryhoriw challenged him in the second period he went down faster than a porn star and Jake got the only PIM.

No issue at all with that in the playoffs, I get it, but at this time of year with a 17 point lead in the standings and right after their  Lucas Purdy jumped a  top pairing D- Man, it was nothing short of gutless. I sure hope you coaches in the division don't give Stuart any votes when you vote for the "Coach of the Year".

The power play was the difference in Tuesday's game. Kimberley, who are 4th overall in the league on the PP went 3-7 and the Riders who are 7th went 1-5.

Sixteen year old Ethan Jang scored one of the nicest goals of the game on a shorthanded breakaway. It was his 4th of the season.

Greg Susinski scored his first goal as a forward Tuesday. He really looks at home on the wing.

Keelan Saworski continued his point streak but despite getting a few grade A scoring chances he had his goal streak broken at 8 games.  

Mitch Titus had a goal and an assist and is just 1 point behind Saworski for the Rider's top scorer. 

Broc Merkl was the Riders POG, to bad after that effort a fluke goal steals at least a point from the Riders. And maybe two as the boys were equal or better in the third.

Kevin Pierce scored the other Rider goal on the PP, his 3rd PP goal so far this year. 

Kyle Haugo made a few great stops in his end of the ice Tuesday and used his body well. Coach Mohr agrees and says he played pretty good in Creston too. You can always say that about Grayson Neufeld, a nice skater as well. Wondering why that guy didn't challenge him, oh yeah I forgot he might be able to fight...

Jake Beranek has decided to play Midget this season where he will get a ton of ice time that he wasn't getting with the Ghost. We hear they have enough players to form a team so lots of ice time and a few AP games may really help him get ready as an 18 year old next year.

Injuries, Owen Titus, Shaun Pierce, Zak Larson and now Matt Rogers are all out for the weekend game vs the Rockies.

The Rockies have 15 points but the Riders have 4 games in hand... but to catch up they will have to win a few of them.




Saturday 4 November 2017

Saturday Nov 4th in the EM Division

Fernie 4 @ Beaver Valley 2

In Fruitvale Brendan Nemes scored three goals (2PP) Keelan Saworski and Mitch Titus each had 3 points and Broc Merkl stopped 36 of 38 Hawk shots for the Ghostriders second win in a row. 
The Riders went 3-7 on the PP as well.

Castlegar 5 @ Kimberley 4 OT

In Kimberley the Rebel's Ed Lindsey scored the overtime winner and Tanner Douglas had the W in net.
Kimberley's Nicholas Ketola scored 3 goals- 2 were SH and the third one tied the game giving the Nitro's a point.

Grand Forks 2 @ Columbia Valley 9

In Invermere Cooper Krauss had 2 G Tyler Bordt and Davin Burton had 3 points each and Mike Dyck had 4 points as the Rockies rolled over GFBB 9-2. Ben Kelsch had the W in net.

Creston 6 @ Golden 2

In Golden Justin James had 2 goals and 3 assists and Creston outshot Golden 46- 20 as well.   Jaysen MacLean had the W in net. 

With the win in BV the Riders were able to keep pace with the group and still have 5 games in hand on the Rockies and 4 on Creston. No one is likely to catch Kimberley, but it is Jr hockey. 

Next up Kimberley in Sparwood @ 7:30 Tuesday night.