Submitted by Columbia Valley Rockies

The Columbia Valley Rockies journeyed down to the Johnny Bucyk Arena in Creston on December 2. Your Rockies would open scoring early in the first but the home town team would respond late in the first and the period would conclude with both teams notching one. 

The Rockies jumped up with two quick goals in the second, taking a 3-1 lead. However the tide would change dramatically as Creston answered back with five goals, taking a 6-3 lead into the dressing room as the siren sounded, closing out the second period. 

The Rockies dug deep and battled back but come up short in a 7-6 final game in favour of the home town Thundercats.

On Dec. 3 both teams met again at the Eddie Mountain Memorial arena which Rockies fans are calling the ‘Yeti Den’! Your Rockies and the Yeti were in a mood this night….. #YallYetiForThis

New staff from Panorama were welcomed with festivities provided by the Rockies, ULLR bar and Syndicate Boardshop at the annual Panorama meet and greet game. Before the game began, Eric Lange from Syndicate Boardshop awarded the October Player of the Month to #13, Anthony Domina, and the November Player of the Month to #9, Keenan Ingram. Both players received a gift bag sponsored by Syndicate Boardshop.

As the puck was dropped your Rockies were determined to make a statement and punish the visitors both physically and on the scoreboard in front of a massive home town crowd, ensuring the Yeti Den would live up to its reputation of not being a place any visiting team wants to enter…

At 1:10 Kayde Kinaschuk would notch his 11th goal of the season with assists from Domina and Lucas De La Salle. On this night, in front of this crowd, the Rockies and the Yeti would not look back. Twenty five seconds, later newly-acquired Blake Hiltermann did serious damage to his old team’s confidence with a beauty goal set up from de la Salle. Keenan Ingram added to the tally to close out the first period action. The crowd was thrilled with the play and the Yeti Den was echoing with chants from the fans cheering on the home town Rockies.

The Rockies and the Yeti added to the domination in the second as the ice was tilted towards the visitors end, as announcer, Cable, called it, “ not much snow down at the Rockies end as all the action is in front of the Tcats”. Teo Fath got his second goal of the year on a shot from Hiltermann twelve minutes in. Then Kayde Kinaschuk added to his season tally setup again from Domina and de la Salle. To close out the second period, Kobe Mason notched one from Sparrow and Ingram. Rockies lead 6-1 after two.

The Den was rocking with Richard and his ULLR team providing beverage service for the Panorama Meet and Greet event, as the Pano staff were eager to rock the roof at the start of the third. Ten minutes in Kayde Kinaschuk would bring the fans to their feet with, as announcer, Cable, called it, ‘a filthy goal and slick hands’! This would be a hat trick for Kayde – his first of the year! Normand got the assist. Less than a minute later Ingram undressed the TCats goalie and pocketed his 21st goal of the season from Sparrow and Hiltermann. The crowd erupted when local talent and hard hitting Jonah Fournier tipped in his first of the year on a shot by Harrison Aldridge.

Rockies got their revenge and put on a show in the Yeti Den  9–1  to close out the weekend and remain in first place. 

The Rockies play in Fernie on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and then host at home Friday Dec. 9 against Revelstoke and Saturday, Dec. 10 against Nelson. Come on out and experience the Yeti! #YallYetiForThis