Last week, the Golden Rockets had a pair of games against divisional rivals and came away with three out of a possible four points.
On Tuesday, February 10th, the Rockets were playing host to the visiting Columbia Valley Rockies. The Rockets were looking for a victory to move within one point of Fernie for second place in the tough Eddie Mountain Division. Columbia Valley were equally intent on a win, to put some space between themselves and Creston for the fourth and final playoff position.
This game was tight, right from the opening face-off.
The teams traded first period tallies, as an early Phoenix Flett goal for the visitors was countered by a Brock Mcilwain wristshot to the back of the net.
The close play opened up in the middle stanza as both netminders, Golden’s Beck Boiteau and Invermere’s Ryan Tamelin, were kept very busy. When the smoke cleared, the clubs again split the scoring evenly, hitting for a pair of markers each. The Rockets took an early lead this time, with Jake O’Keefe (who skated miles in the contest) striking at 1:35. Peter Godley got Columbia Valley back even at 8:06 before Austin Bruce and Luke Lawford exchanged goals later.
No scoring in the final period. The Rockets spent much of the period short-handed, with a succession of minor penalties before the midway mark. Some aggressive penalty-killing, combined with solid netminding, kept Invermere off the board.
In the extra session, as it unfolded, Golden was forced once again to play shorthanded. This time, Invermere’s Lachlan Hanton put the game away for the visitors, scooping up a loose rebound in front with just :33 seconds remaining.
Final score was 4-3. Columbia Valley edged out Golden in shots 40-37. The single point not only placed Golden closer to Fernie in the standings, but mathematically sent the local stars into the post-season.
Friday evening, the Creston ThunderCats were in town. Golden opened with a two-goal lead, as Captain Cooper Thompson struck at the midway mark and with just :09 seconds left in the period.
The Rockets would extend the margin to 4-1 after forty minutes, as Brock McIlwain and Brayden Bissell collected singletons. But Creston was not going away quietly.
Rockets’ lanky winger Spencer Bates hit for his 11th goal of the year, offsetting an earlier TCat goal. Down 5-2 with two minutes left in regulation time, the visitors threw all they had in the Golden end, and managed to close the gap with a pair of quick, late goals, but it wasn’t enough. Final score was 5-4.
This Friday, the local stars will be travelling to Kimberley, and then head back home Saturday for a key matchup with Fernie. At press time, Golden was two points behind the Ghostriders for second place in the division.
