The KIJHL Notebook: Team play

This week’s KIJHL Notebook focuses on the recent performance of teams, coaches talking about standout players and the impact that some trade deadline pick ups have had on their respective teams.

Eddie Mountain Division

The Fernie Ghostriders have won seven of their last 10 games since the Christmas break and have been led offensively by captain Taylor Haggerty with nine goals and eight assists. Defenceman Eric Martin is right behind with six goals and eight assists. Goalie Nick Kunyk has won all four of his starts with a .935 save percentage and a 2.25 GAA. Deadline pick up Landon Hedges is plus-one in four games.

With six wins in their last 10 games, Columbia Valley Rockies head coach-GM Taylor Sincennes said their team has grown a lot in developing a “defence first mentality.”

That approach has led to offence.

“We’re slowly seeing improvements in the young guys’ offensive numbers as they are getting comfortable in this league,” he said. “A kid like Oleg Bitus is slowly starting to chip in on the offence and build his confidence.”

In 33 games, Bitus has 10 goals and 14 points. Six of his points have come in 2024.

There is a reason the Kimberley Dynamiters are happy to have one game this weekend with a focus on being ready for a tough February.

“After seven straight games on the road this month with two very hard weekends, we’ll gladly take a one-game weekend,” said Dynamiters head coach-GM Derek Stuart.

The lone opponent the Dynamiters face in February with a record below .500 are the Golden Rockets on the road. The Dynamiters have won three of their past 10 games.

New addition Liam Furlong has two assists in six games with a plus-three rating. Tyden Redlick has three points in four games

Since the Christmas break, Creston Valley Thunder Cats head coach-GM Brad Tobin believes his group has been competitive at 3-3-2. Most of their games have been tight, with three this month going to overtime.

“If we can score a goal here or there, our record would be a bit better,” said Tobin. “After the trade deadline, we feel like we have come together as a team a little bit more.”

Liam Munro has three points in five games since being acquired from Fernie.

“We feel like he’s a really good complementary piece in that middle six,” said Tobin. “He’s younger at 18 and if he gets in a groove, he can be a big-time player come playoffs.”

Defenceman Sidney Brill was brought in from Princeton and Tobin has been happy with his play. In three games, he has twice played 20 minutes or more, which is well above the 17:21 he has averaged with the Posse.

“He has played with Max Chakrabarti and is a good puck mover who is getting involved in the offence,” he said. “We were struggling with moving pucks and feel he is going to be what we needed on the back end.”

Since taking over the Golden Rockets bench, assistant coach Jed Houseman feels the team has been competing.

“Consistency is a work in progress, but we’ve shown flashes of great execution,” he said. “Positives are showing through and we will continue building to improve.”

Houseman has liked what he’s seen from new addition Reid Ashcroft, who has three points in five games since joining the Rockets at the deadline.

“He has had some great plays on the defensive side.”

Houseman also noted that Brayden Bissel has been productive offensively all season, and Dominic Fiorentino has shown good leadership, and the ability to find the net. Defenceman Stefan Bodtker has been playing a solid 200-foot game.

“Our goalies Kaeden Serpa and Alex Jessey have been solid, both seeing a decent amount of shots and keeping us in games.”

Read about the rest of the KIJHL.

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