After several months of ups and downs, the season is over for the Creston Valley Thunder Cats, who lost 4-1 to the Kimberley Dynamiters in the best-of-seven series that kicked off the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs.
With only a game 1 win, the Thunder Cats were already down two games when they went into game 4 at Creston’s John Bucyk Arena on Feb. 24. Kimberley started the scoring on a power play two minutes into the first period, with Creston’s Connor Ward responding with a goal eight minutes later. The Dynamiters scored the game-winner on a second-period power play at 6:04, and a third, an empty-netter, with only one second left in the third period.
The teams returned to the Kimberley Civic Centre for game 5 on Feb. 26, which saw two Kimberley goals — one on a power play and one shorthanded — scored in the second period. Creston’s Nicholas Kovacik scored the Thunder Cats’ only goal at 14:50 in the third period.
On Sunday, the Dynamiters began the second playoff round with the Fernie Ghostriders — who beat the Golden Rockets in four out of five games — at the Fernie Memorial Arena. The Dynamiters beat Fernie 5-2 in the first game on Sunday, and Fernie tied the series on Monday, also with a 5-2 score.
Thunder Cats head coach Jeff Dubious was unavailable for comment.
