On Friday, Sept. 30, the Heat travelled by motor coach, not stage coach, to 100 Mile House, the home of the pesky Wranglers.
The two teams that love to hate met up for the first time since last season in Cariboo Country.
The Cowboys got the first two markers – Justin Bond on the power play followed by Eric Tigges.
With 34 seconds left in the first, Evan Hughes collected his first in the KIJHL from Travis Beaubien and Kolten Moore. In the second, 100 Mile struck a third time, with Frazer Dodd doing the deed, then Nolan Parr for Chase, prior to Dodd getting his second of the period.
The third was all Heat as the boys buckled down with a short bench and provided a relentless attack, pocketing a pair – Parr on the power play with his second from Pat Brady and Grady Musgrave. Beaubien tied the game at 4-4 assisted by Hughes and Moore.
On to overtime and Brady was the hero, lassoing a victory assisted by Josh Bourne and Michael Fidanza. Nic Bruyere in net stopped 17 of 21 shots he faced.
The Heat trundled home to Chase, arriving in the early hours of Oct. 1, the date of game two of the two-game series versus 100 Mile.
An hour prior to game start, the visitors phoned telling the locals their wagon train had broken down in Kamloops. Fresh horses were found and the scheduled game went ahead but an hour later.
Similar to the past evening, the Cariboo crew got on the board first – James Gordon on the power play. But the Shuswap squad got a pair of five-on-four scores from Mason Palaga, assisted by Moore and Fidanza, and then Brady from Kaden Black and Beaubien.
The Wranglers’ guns fired bulls eyes twice in the second from Mitch Turko and Justin Bond. No scoring in the third saw the visitors ride out of town with a 3-2 win.
Zak Larson got his first start of the season between the posts for the Heat, stopping 42 of 45 in a solid performance.
There were 32 minor infractions called in this contest, 20 of them in the first period, as both teams found their way to the sin bin. As a result, there were too many five-on-three’s and no consistent flow to a wearisome contest for the fans.
Chase was bumped out of top spot in the division as 100 Mile House leapt ahead of the Heat.
On Friday the seventh, the Heat face the Summerland Steam. The game continues the month-long focus on Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. However, the Heat’s very special guests that evening will be the female players and their coaches representing our town from Chase Minor Hockey. Please join them in celebrating World Girls Hockey Weekend!
