So the Chase Heat Hockey Team played a trio of contests on the Family Day long weekend. The outcome was great at home and ugly on the road.
Friday , Feb. 6 saw the talented Nelson Leafs at the Art Holding Memorial Arena in front of a good-sized crowd.
There was no scoring until seven minutes into the second period when Kaleb Boyle scored his 47th career power-play goal, assisted by Trevor Okino and Chad Wilde.
Nelson got that one back with a 5-on-3 power-play goal to tie things up. In the third, Chase popped three in the enemy’s net to take a 4-1 victory! It was Kolten Moore from Alex Durbeniuk and Tommy Brown, followed by Logan Mostat on the power play from Moore and Brown. With 50 seconds to go, Moore, unassisted, got an empty netter. Nic Bruyere went the distance in this goaltender battle, stopping 46 of 47 to be named ‘Home’ star.
On Saturday, Feb. 7 in 100 Mile House, good fortune took a back seat due to a lack of overall effort. In a chippy contest versus the Wranglers, the Heat lost 5-1. The only Heat marker was in the middle frame from Cody Hodges from Okino and Boyle.
Family Day saw the Heat versus the Kamloops Storm in the big smoke. An opportunity to redeem themselves fell flat as the Kamloops squad posted a 5-3 win.
Chase got on the board in the first, Brown from Tyler Mork and Travis Beaubien. Pat Brady, with his first ever KIJHL goal, also scored in the first from Michael Fidanza and Okino. In the third, Hodges, from Brady and Boyle, gave the travelling fan base some hope, but the outplayed, outgunned Chase crew had little interest in the outcome and were rewarded with a loss they fully deserved. Pat Brady, with a goal and two assists, received the ‘Away’ star.
Ice chips: Nic Bruyere was a bright light in goal all weekend who received little support from his teammates.
Brady and fellow affiliate player Michael Fidanza both showed desire and talent in the Kamloops contest. Durbeniuk got his first penalty of the year in the home ice win for shooting the puck over the glass!
The Heat remain in second place in the division standings but will have to win Friday to clinch home-ice advantage in the first round. Friday, Feb. 13, 100 Mile is in Chase at 7 p.m. and Saturday the Heat hit the road to play the Grizzlies in Revelstoke.
The playoffs commence the weekend of Feb. 20. Home or away? To be determined.
