Following Monday’s game, the Creston Valley Thunder Cats were down 2-1 in the best-of-seven series that kicked off the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Eddie Mountain Division playoffs.
The three games so far (a fourth is scheduled for tonight) were tight, with the Thunder Cats winning Friday 2-1 in overtime, but losing 2-0 on Saturday and 1-0 on Monday.
“Chances both ways were at a premium,” said head coach Jeff Dubois of Friday’s game in Kimberley.
Carson Cartwirght scored for Creston in the second period, with a Kimberley goal tying the score in the third. Connor Ward scored the game-winner unassisted at 2:55 in overtime.
Goalie Brock Lefebvre was a big help to Creston, with 11 saves in the third period, a performance that impressed Dubois in all three games.
Creston’s defence worked hard on Saturday, limiting shots from Kimberley, which had a power-play goal in each of the first two periods.
“You can’t fault the work ethic,” said Dubois. “We just couldn’t get what we needed offensively.”
Both teams’ goaltending remained strong in Creston on Monday, he said, with Kimberley scoring a single power-play goal at 1:44 in the first period. Lefebvre blocked 24 shots, with the Dynamiters’ goalie stopping 25.
Dubois noted that penalties were light in all three games.
“Obviously there’s a mutual dislike between the teams, and that’s what you expect in a playoff series — you see the same guys night after night. shift after shift. Because games have been so tight, it’s obvious you want to stay out of the box.”
For the next games, Dubois is expecting the team to step up offensively, which would have a positive effect the rest of the series.
“You stick with the program knowing we’re doing a good job at the defensive end,” he said. “Once you start having success offensively, you find it snowballs from there.”
