While the Rockies won’t be competing in the playoffs this year, they demonstrated their ability to overcome one of the league’s strongest teams during the regular season’s last weekend.

The Kootenay Conference-leading Fernie matched up against Columbia Valley thrice in as many nights.

On Friday, February 13th in Fernie, the Ghostriders scored just seconds after the opening puck drop, and didn’t wait long to run away with the score, taking a seven-goal lead after two periods.

 

In the third, Braydon Barker and Harrison Davies gave the Rockies a couple of points on the scoreboard, but the Ghostriders’ seven-goal lead was insurmountable. Columbia Valley assists went to Tyson Kapty, Malcolm Fenelon, Randy Teeple, and Braydon Barker.

Ghostrider Joel Burgess scored two goals and two assists.

On Saturday night at the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena, the Rockies didn’t let the Ghostriders cruise to another victory.

 

The opening period belonged to Columbia Valley. Minutes into the game on the power play, Malcolm Fenelon scored to give the Rockies and early lead. That lead was padded with two more goals by Seth Bjorkman, and the period ended with the Rockies leading 3 – 0.

But Fernie was gassed up in the second period, taking the lead by scoring four consecutive goals. The middle period finished in a tie however, with Braydon Barker scoring in the final two minutes.

 

 

The game was decided by a lone goal in the third, which was scored by Derek Georgopoulos, who earned himself a Gordie Howe Hat Trick – a goal, an assist, and a fight.

Rockies goaltenderGiovanni Sambrielaz made 30 saves. Columbia Valley assists went to Harrison Davies, Kolten Nelson, Damon Raven, Dario Piva, Braydon Barker (2), and Ryan St. Jean.

Despite the crushing start to their weekend – which reminisced most of their season – the Rockies were able to go out on a high note.

In Fernie on Sunday, November 15th, the Ghostriders were first to score after netting a goal midway through the opening period, but the Rockies started the second with a 2 – 1 lead, after Dario Piva scored twice in three minutes, with help from Kolten Nelson, Braydon Barker, Ryan St. Jean, and Kale Johnston.

 

It wasn’t until a Fernie power play in the third before another goal was scored, with the Ghostriders tying at two. The rest of regulation was a stalemate, and the regular season was extended slightly as the game headed into sudden death over time.

Less than a minute into extra time, Harrison Davies lit the lamp for the Rockies – finishing his team’s season with a big win. Assists went to Carter Forsyth and Braydon Barker.

The Rockies star of the game was goaltender Jason Sandhu, who made 38 saves.

The Rockies will soon be active with their summer fundraising and recruiting initiatives. The vintage car that gets raffled to be raffled this summer will be a red Chevrolet Corvette. And this year’s spring training camp in April is expected to deliver a sizeable talent pool, as the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen will be co-hosting in Invermere.