By Stephanie Stevens

“It’s playoff hockey.”

Columbia Valley Rockies associate coach Tucker Braund summed it up in those three words. There is a lot more at stake and the play is more intense.

The Rockies are a little over midway through the second round of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) playoffs against the Kimberley Dynamiters, and while the Nitros ended the regular season at the top of the Eddie Mountain Division, the Rockies are meeting them head-to-head.

The first two games were played out in Kimberley and while close, both went to the Nitros. Game one in particular was founded on power play goals for Kimberley.

“It’s been a bit of special teams battle,” said Braund. “We suffered a bad night on the penalty kill in game one and it cost us. Game two we were a little undisciplined and it cost us again.

“We know we aren’t going to get the calls we always want and we know they are going to do anything they can to get them, but we can’t play their brand of hockey: we have to play the way we play.”

Friday’s goals were kicked off by Bryan Kim (assists by Ashton Sledz and Wyatt Wurtz) in the second period, then Ethan Cerone (Noah Asmundson and Peter Godley). Johnny Lozeman (Carter Velker) and Kim (Carter Hensch) added two more in the third but game ended 5-4 for Kimberley.

Saturday’s lone goal in the 2-1 game was scored by Kobe Mason (Kim and Godley).

Monday the boys were back home in Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena and the score was as opposite as the venue.

“Game three was a really good game for us,” said Braund. “We were ready to go out of the gate, went after them and played our brand of hockey. We need to find that brand again and have a good start Friday in Kimberley. We’ve played really well there this year so we are looking forward to it.”

Paddy Donahue (Lukas Masters and Godley) started things up in the first period, followed by Asmundson (Lozeman and Masters) and Jonah Fournier (Chance Cole and Sam Cristo). Second period scoring was courtesy of Sledz (Godley and Jack Hefferan) and Lozeman (Asmundson) added one more in the third to end the game 5-1.

The following night was a reversal of fortune with the Nitros winning 5-2. Mason (Cole and Kim) found his mark in the second, and Velker potted an unassisted goal after an impressive breakaway to tie things up in the third, but the Nitros managed three more goals take the game, including one empty netter.

The next match up is in Kimberley and while the game tally is at 3-1 in the Nitros’ favour, that pressure may work for the Rockies.

“The fellas are fired up,” said defenceman Jaxson Sperling. “We let one get away from us in the last game because we didn’t start on time and struggled in the first period. But I know when we play a full 60 minutes we can outplay any team we want to. We know what the task in hand is coming up and we are ready to go to war for each other.

“It’s a pretty special group we have in that dressing room… we have each other’s backs all time, so I am confident in our group to get the job done Friday.”

Godley had similar sentiments, adding there is a certain do or die aspect to the series now.

“I feel like we’ve been right where we need to be every game, it’s just a matter of getting over the hump and getting some bounces to go our way,” he said. “Obviously our backs are against the wall now so we have nothing to lose, and I think Kimberley has more pressure on them to close the series than we do to make the comeback. If we just stick to our game we’ll send them running for the hills.”

Should the Rockies take the game Friday (March 21), game six will be played back in Invermere and game seven back in Kimberley.

Puck drop is 7 p.m. each night and the Rockies are supplying access to a fan bus to all away games. There are 40 seats available for $20 (round trip).

Stephanie Stevens Photos

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