Dylan Puk and Cooper Anderson manning the Kettles
The Ghostriders won all three of their games this week, the first two were against the Rockies, they won 4-2 at home and 5-3 in Invermere, then finished off the week with a 4-3 OT home ice win against Castlegar.
On Saturday the Riders just got by the Rebels in overtime. The Rebels were fresh of an 8-2 drubbing in Kimberley the night before where they only generated 13 shots on new Nitro, and Former Rider goalie, Drew Cadenhead. So they had something to prove… or maybe the Riders were thinking, this could be a pad your stats Christmas present game…anyway, they weren’t quite ready.
Let’s ask Head Coach and General Manager Chad Scharff about that and the week’s games.
“Ya at the end of the day we are happy we won all 3 games this week but our standard is way higher than what we showed!”
“We have to be a team that expects better from each other and that starts with me! I can be better in preparing our group over the week leading into the weekends and that will lead to players being ready to hold each other to a Champion standard. We need to be better plain and simple”
That was what the fans wanted to hear the HC say. The Riders didn’t look good in the Rebel game, but… they still eked out a win and with the 6 points are now 4 up on the Rockies and just 1 behind Kimberley for first place with 3 games in hand. They are also a +32 with a .750 win % and have had at least a point in their last 11 games.
A Couple of Bests
Best player of the week #10 Riley Enns 2 goals and 3 assists, points in all three games, and a game star in two.
Best pass, Riley Enns behind the back pass to Jack Lambert who scored the game winner Tuesday.
Best shot, Riley Enns breaking the glass Saturday night while chipping the puck out… then scoring the overtime game winner from Liam Breakenridge who finished with 1G1A…honourable mention to Eric Martin’s seeing eye shot for the 3rd FGR goal.
Best hit without a penalty, #5 Stephen Jones’ bone crushing open ice hit in the Castlegar game. The Rebel had the puck and even saw the train coming.
First Rider Goal
Lucas De La Salle (Martin-Enns) scored the Teddy Bear goal on Saturday.
Don’t crash my net… at least one CVR with a headache won’t run into Cooper Anderson’s crease anymore. Anderson won the Tuesday and Saturday games and Nick Kunyk won the road game.
Lucas Desjarlais (Fellows- Johnson) just back from a one gamer for a fight in Revelstoke scored the game winner in CVR and was a game star.
In other news,
I ain’t Superstitious, but on Friday the 13th, with #13 Liam Breakenridge suspended and Rockies #13 Ashton Sledz scoring a tying goal #12 Keegan Fellows scored shorthanded on a clear cut breakaway…the Riders have missed on several of them over the last couple’a weeks, is the curse broken…
There were 675 at the game in Invermere, a great crowd for the Rockies and the visiting team, 763 for the Rebel game here Saturday. The Riders thank the fans for their support.
The Ghostrider organization donated $1000 to the Salvation Army for their Christmas Food Hampers.
This Friday Dec 20th the Riders host Grand Forks in the final game before the not really long enough 6 day Christmas break. The Bruins just won a home and home with Nelson and will not be pushovers.
