With a 4-2 victory in Game 5 of the Eddie Mountain Division semifinal, the Kimberley Dynamiters grounded the Fernie Ghostriders and advanced to the second round of the KIJHL post-season Monday night.
Tuesday afternoon, the schedule for Dynamiters Eddie Mountain Division final against the Creston Valley Thunder Cats was etched in stone, with Game 1 slated for Saturday, March 5 (7 p.m.) at the Kimberley Civic Centre.
“We’re happy we took the series [against Fernie] as soon as we did,” said Dynamiters forward Trevor Van Steinburg, following Monday’s Game 5 triumph. “We would’ve been happier in four games, but we definitely need to take this time to think about what we need to work on and recover.
“We should be trying to treat [the series with Creston] just like any other…We need to come out just as hard, we need to play the same game.”
The Thunder Cats finished the regular season second in the Eddie Mountain Division before sweeping the third-place Columbia Valley Rockies in four games earlier this week to advance to the division final.
After the series opens March 5, the two teams will play Game 2 on Sunday, March 6 (7 p.m.) at the Kimberley Civic Centre, before the festivities shift to Creston for Games 3 and 4.
If necessary, Games 5 and 7 will be played at the Kimberley Civic Centre on March 11 and March 13, respectively.
Around the KIJHL: In the Kootenay Conference, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks eliminated the Nelson Leafs in four games… The third-place Grand Forks Border Bruins lead the second-place Castlegar Rebels 3-2 in their best-of-seven division semifinal, with Game 6 slated for Tues., March 1 (results unavailable by print deadline)… In the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference, the Osoyoos Coyotes swept the North Okanagan Knights and the 100 Mile House Wranglers did the same to the Revelstoke Grizzlies… The Chase Heat eliminated the Kamloops Storm 4-1 and the Summerland Steam lead the Kelowna Chiefs 3-2 with Game 6 slated for Tues., March 1 (results unavailable by print deadline)…
Eddie Mountain Division Final scheduleCreston Valley Thunder Cats (2) vs. Kimberley Dynamiters (1)
Game 1 – Saturday, March 5 at Kimberley Civic Centre (7 p.m.)Game 2 – Sunday, March 6 at Kimberley Civic Centre (7 p.m.)Game 3 – Tuesday, March 8 at Johnny Bucyk Arena (Creston, 7:30 p.m)Game 4 – Wednesday, March 9 at Johnny Bucyk Arena (Creston, 7:30 p.m.)*Game 5 – Friday, March 11 at Kimberley Civic Centre (7 p.m.)*Game 6 – Saturday, March 12 at Johnny Bucyk Arena (Creston, 7:30 p.m.)*Game 7 – Sunday, March 13 at Kimberley Civic Centre (7 p.m.)
* = If necessary; all times Mountain
