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Dynamiters get rough treatment on the road

Spokane and Grand Forks full of physical play in two road losses for the Nitros.

The Kimberley Dynamiters were swept over the weekend during a road swing that took them through Spokane and Grand Forks.

Friday’s affair ended with a line brawl and goalie fight on Friday in Spokane, which included both goaltenders, as Jeremy Mousseau and Julian DiFilippo left the crease to meet at centre ice.

The Braves ended the penalty-riddled game with a 6-2 victory, as Spokane scored three goals in the second period in their march to the win.

Spokane had a strong first period, with an early power play goal from Kurtis Redding and a late marker from Matt Thurston.

However, the second frame broke the contest open.

The Nitros had trouble staying out of the box, serving six two-minute minor and two five-minute major penalties, while Spokane only served two two-minute minors.

The Braves lit the goal lamp just before the halfway mark, as Redding scored his second of the night, but the Nitros responded two minutes later, when the newly acquired Tre Mason put his team on the board.

Kimberley pulled within a goal on the man advantage roughly two minutes later, on an effort from Corson Johnstone.

However, the Braves pulled ahead with a three-goal lead on a pair of power play markers.

Brycen Fisher made it 4-2 with six minutes left in the period and Kyle Davis added to the lead a minute later.

The third period was ugly, with five fights—one early in the frame, while four occurred in a line brawl in the last minute.

Spokane also added their final goal within the last two minutes from Austin Gabriel.

The Nitros were outshot in every period, as Mousseau faced an astounding 61 shots, while the Dynamiters put 31 pucks on DiFilippo.

The Nitros capitalized once in 15 powerplay opportunities, while the Braves were good three times in nine chances on the man-advantage.

The Dynamiters continued their trip Saturday night by crossing the border and heading into Grand Forks, falling short in a comeback effort to the Bruins.

The two teams were tied after the first two periods, but the Bruins scored the go-ahead goal in the final frame to edge the Nitros for the win.

Kimberley opened the scoring, four minutes in on a goal from Taylor McDowell, but Chase Anchikoski answered near the halfway mark.

Matt Gann scored two minutes later to restore the Nitros’ lead, but Grand Forks tied it up on the man advantage in the final minute from Connor Bowen.

The two teams traded goals in the second period, when the Bruins pulled ahead from another goal from Bowen, while Eric Buckley responded for the Nitros.

Grand Forks took the lead again early in the final period on a third power play marker from Bowen, who completed his hat trick, and Connor Gross added an insurance goal a few minutes later.

Aaron Shubert responded for the Dynamiters with three minutes remaining in the game, but fell short of a comeback by the time the buzzer sounded.

Bryce Halverson made 31 saves for Kimberley, while Dominic Stadnyk stopped 37 shots on the other end of the rink.

Kimberley was denied on all three power play opportunities, while Grand Forks was good for two goals in seven chances.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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