Game Two and Beyond

Game Two of the series was a real hockey game. With a final score of five to three, the Fernie Ghostriders finished on top of the Creston Thundercats once again to lead the series at two zip with the play going to Creston for two nights.

The first period started quickly with a Ghostriders goal just there minutes in. The Creston skaters quickly returned the favor, tying it up. The period ended tied. With the start of the Second Period, the Fernie boys put another and again the same from Creston. Then, the Ghostriders poured it on Watters, the Thundercats goalie, dropping in two more before the buzzer. The last period saw a goal each and the game ended with the Ghostriders up five to two.

While not that much different from the first night, several characteristics of the two teams became obvious in the three hard fought periods (more on the fighting later). Creston is bigger. They rely on strength. The Thundercats rely on strength and power. Fernie is smaller. They rely on finesse. The Ghostriders played like smoke. Finessing the puck here and there. Moving with feints and parries, they overwhelmed the Cats. Finesse wins almost every time. Even Mohammad Ali carried finesse into the ring. “Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee.� And punch like a pile driver. Very interesting. And the results speak for themselves.

There were enough fights that the old saw ran though the stands, “Did you hear about the fight? And then a hockey game broke out.� With 43 penalties, there was plenty of loose gear on the ice from both sides. The game was a hard fought battle, let’s leave it at that.

The next two games were in Creston where the Ghostriders again prevailed, winning the third game (the first way in the series) seven to two and taking the fourth (to sweep the series) by eight to two.

With the series won, the Ghostriders sat idle waiting for the results from the Nelson/Beaver Valley series. In the Kamloops/Revelstoke series, Kamloops swept four zip. This leaves the next opponent out of the Ghostriders hands. If Nelson wins, Fernie plays Nelson. If Beaver Valley wins, they face Kamloops and Fernie takes the week off while Kamloops and Beaver Valley play it out.