The Kimberley Dynamiters split their weekend action, losing to the Rockies on the road, but recovering for a win at home against the Steam.
Columbia Valley rode their only goal in the opening period to shut out the Nitros 1-0 in Invermere on Friday night, but Kimberley answered back with a 5-3 win against Summerland the next evening.
Brendan Burge, a sniper who recently made the move from the Fernie Ghostriders to the Rockies, scored the only goal less than three minutes into the game.
Nitro goaltender Matthew Mitchell was busier in net, stopping 36 shots, while Columbia Valley stopper Stewart Pratt turned away all 30 pucks sent his way.
Kimberley failed to convert on 10 separate power play opportunities, while the Rockies were denied on all five of their own chances.
The Dynamiters reversed their fortunes against the Steam, as five different players each tallied two points to collectively earn the win.
The two teams held each other scoreless in the first period, but the following frame featured a flurry of goals.
Tyson Klingspohn lit the goal lamp three minutes into the period, which was followed up by an effort from Jason Richter near the end of the period for a two-goal lead.
However, Summerland answered on the man-advantage near the end of the period, when Dylan Burton cut the deficit in half.
Not to be outdone, Sam Nigg responded for Kimberley a minute later to regain the two-goal cushion before the buzzer sounded.
Kimberley had a scare in the third period, as the Steam scored two quick goals at the halfway mark of the period from former Nitro Olli Dickson and Derek Grimm to tie up the game on a pair of power plays.
But late game heroics put Kimberley back in the lead, as Dallin Wolf broke the tie at 3:45 and Isaac Schacher scored a minute later on the man-advantage to seal up the win.
Mitchell manned the crease again for Kimberley, stopping 31 shots while the Nitros chased Connor DeMelo from the net after the second period, with Brett Huber stepping in as backup. Collectively, the two made 26 saves.
Kimberley struck three times in 10 chances with the man-advantage, while the Steam only capitalized once in the same amount of opportunities.
The Golden Rockets have vaulted to the top of the Eddie Mountain Division, surpassing the Nitros and the Fernie Ghostriders. Kimberley sits in third place, a point behind the ‘Riders, and three points outside of first place.