The Chase Heat got on the old grey mare motor coach to head off to the desert for a pair of road games.
During the weekend, the Heat chased the desert dog Coyotes from Osoyoos into the hills, before out running the Possse from Princeton.
It was a great weekend for the Heat and it got started Friday the 14 at the Sun Bowl in wine country.
Led by totally focussed stellar goaltending from Nic Bruyere, the Heat rose to the occasion.
In the first frame, the fans were entertained by a heavy weight tilt between Spencer Meyer and Hunter Johnson, with no clear decision and both scrappers were evicted from the game. Then Nolan Parr, after a thundering clean bodycheck, reluctantly dropped the mitts and won a battle with Kyle Rosolowski. Their nights were now over.
The Coyotes got a power-play goal from Ryan Rosenboom to start things on the scoreboard. Michael Fidanza tied things up from Josh Bourne before Rosenboom got his second power-play marker to give the Osoyoos crew a one-goal lead.
In the second, Chase got a pair – Spencer Farstad from Zachary Fournier and Kaden Black, and then Bourne from Kolten Moore and Ryan Okino.
Osoyoos’ Carter Shannon tied things up in the third on the power play,before Black scored shorthanded from Evan Hughes to give Chase the lead. Then Farstad got an unassisted goal to provide a little buffer. But Judd Repole got one back for the Coyotes, not enough as the Heat’s Pat Brady got a full-rink length empty-netter to seal the deal.
Bruyere stopped 38 of 42 shots faced in a penalty-filled hard-earned 6-4 road win against very tough competition.
Saturday the 15 versus the Princeton Posse saw Bruyere stop all 24 for his first shutout of 2016-17. As a result, he has the most wins in Heat history for goalies. This contest was a horse of a different colour, with far less intensity then the previous evening’s performance. Three penalties total through 60 minutes, and no scoring in the first two periods.
The Heat played possum and waited until the third to provide all the damage required to steal a pair of points.
Michael Howlett from Fidanza, Fournier from Landon Russell and concluding the effort, Howlett with a casual empty-netter from Brady.
Missed assignments: the Heat came out of the weekend in second place in their division and sixth overall in the KIJHL.
Bruyere is “Who’s Hot in the KI” currently after a stellar weekend of work. Brady sits in ninth spot in scoring with seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points.
The revolving door of recruitment this week saw local shinny star Cody Hodges join the Heat in a trade with the Victoria Cougars. As well, 18-year-old rear-guard Simon Faber from Edmonton has been added to the roster.
On Friday, Oct. 21, the squad is in Sicamous versus the Eagles, and then Saturday the 22 finds the always grumpy bears, the Revelstoke Grizzlies in town.
It’s pink jersey night so break open your piggy bank and help Team Chase win the day versus breast cancer.
