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Although Kimberley failed to get a win in two tries in Creston over the weekend, Dynamiters’ head coach Kevin MacKay isn’t worried about his athletes’ collective psyche.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series starts 7:30 tonight at the Civic Centre.
The Thundercats won the series opener 5-3 on Friday, before skating away with a 2-1 overtime decision Saturday.
“They were extremely disappointed at the end of the game, but it’s the playoffs: you’ve got to let that go,” said MacKay. “We’ve got to play again (tonight), with a short turnaround. We just have to play like we did Saturday night, and if we can get a couple of goals — especially an early one — we’ll be fine. We had seven on them the last time they were in town.”
They got 41 shots on Sunny Gill Saturday. With improved shot selection by Kimberley, MacKay said the game wouldn’t have been close.
“(Gill) was missing shots from everywhere, and they were just going over the net or wide. If we had got it on net, I’m sure they’d have given up quite a few goals the way he was playing.”
MacKay said the Dynamiters dominated Game 2 from start to finish, with the only goal against in regulation coming on a power play (Travis Ludwar at 13:54 of the second).
“We outshot them, out-competed them, out-played them. We were extremely happy with how the guys performed; we just didn’t get the result we wanted,” said MacKay.
The Nitros evened up the score seven minutes into the third period, thanks to Mike Nelson’s hard forecheck and J.T. Ward’s nose for the net. After winning the puck, Nelson got the puck out in front, and Ward punched it in.
“I thought our forecheck established a great presence in their zone in Game 2, and we were rewarded with that goal,” said MacKay.
Kimberley out-shot Creston 30-14 in the second and third, but didn’t register any salvos in overtime.
The game ended three minutes into extra time, after the Thundercats won a faceoff in the Dynamiters’ zone.
Ludwar’s second of the game gave Creston a 2-0 series lead.
Goaltender Tory Caldwell was one of the best Dynamiters in both games: on Saturday, he made 28 saves and the night before, it was 27.
“Early in Game 1, he kept us in until we got going halfway through the second,” said MacKay. “He makes key saves when we need them, and that’s what he did again (Saturday). He’s been one of our better guys.”
On Friday, the Nitros suffered from a slow start, and got within one before the Thundercats scored into an empty net.
Kane Dawe scored on either side of Scott Swiston’s powerplay marker to give Creston a 3-0 lead after one period.
Cranbrook’s Blake Kirkham made it 4-0 at the game’s midway point, before Brennan Romanovitch got Kimberley on the board at 14:43 of the second.
Adam Taylor struck on a power play at 11:49 of the third, and Brennan Foreman scored a minute and a half later to put Kimberley within one.
Colton Grolla scored into an empty net for insurance’s sake.
Martine blocks shot, breaks jaw
The Kimberley Dynamiters will look to fallen comrade Thierry Martine for inspiration tonight.
The forward suffered a broken jaw Saturday night after blocking a shot late in the third period.
“As he kept sliding, the puck just drilled him right in the face,” said head coach Kevin MacKay. “He’ll be gone for some time.”
He said Martine’s teeth were shattered, and he had to have surgery and stay in hospital overnight.
“I saw him (Sunday) morning. He’s pretty banged up, so he’s got to recuperate,” said the coach. “He can’t eat solids or anything like that, so he’ll probably (be out) for some time...
“He’s a competitor, and gives it all he’s got out there and gave a little extra. We’ll have to help him out with our effort there Monday night.”
They had a close call around the same time, when Creston’s Jordan Johnson checked Corey Allen in the head. The Kimberley captain came back and was able to finish the game.
“That’s the intensity level,” said MacKay. “We’re giving out some pretty good hits ourselves, but he’s a targeted guy from their standpoint.”
The Dynamiters got three players back from injury this weekend that hadn’t played in a month to six weeks.
MacKay said Corson Johnstone returned to stabilize Kimberley’s defensive corps, while Brennan Foreman slotted back among the top six forwards and is still looking to round back into shape.
Chad Filatoff got back on the ice Saturday night, giving the Dynamiters some high-energy minutes.
