Big win for Creston means big game for Whitehorse tonight

If you weren’t at last night’s showdown between the Creston Valley Thunder Cats and the Fernie Ghostriders,

If you weren’t at last night’s showdown between the Creston Valley Thunder Cats and the Fernie Ghostriders, you missed an awesome game – but don’t worry, there’s still one more chance to catch the action.

Final numbers on attendance were not available as of press time, but Yukon Hockey Challenge committee chair Walter Brennan estimates between 600 and 700 people were at Takhini Arena last night.

“I would love to have more out tonight,” he said.

There’s good reason to come out and see the game, too.

The energy in last night’s arena was easy to feel – neither team was technically from home, besides the Thunder cat’s Robbie Stuckey and Lawrence Brennan – so the crowd was excited when any goal was scored.

“When there was a good goal, people cheered,” Walter Brennan said.

And there were lots of goals to cheer for, as Creston got a much needed win 6-3 against Fernie.

With the Whitehorse Huskies currently working on their roster, the Junior B game was something Whitehorse hasn’t been treated to in awhile.

“People were quite impressed that the game was fast, it was rough but clean,” Brennan said. “I hope that the enthusiasm from last night will carry on.”

Both sides had great checks, and there were even a few fights – although quickly broken up by the referees – to excite the crowd.

Brennan also added that the players have been tired, staying at billet homes, but the action last night didn’t show their fatigue.

What Whitehorse hockey fans may not know is that the Fernie Ghostriders, currently sitting at the top of the KIJHL’s Eddie Mountain Division, and the Creston Valley Thunder Cats (third in the division) have traded league wins for a few years.

At last night’s game, the Thunder Cats gained a much-needed two points, that may have put them back in second place.

“Everyone was pretty nervous because they know that Fernie team is very opportunistic,” Brennan said.

In the last nine face offs between the two teams, Creston has come very close to clinching a win at times, but Fernie is famous for taking advantage of any chance they get.

Even though Creston had jumped to a lead in the second period, Fernie has come back from worse before.

While Creston’s Whitehorse connection was obvious with Stuckey and Lawrence Brennan, Fernie also has a Yukon connection that wasn’t as prominent.

Brendan and Boyd Hawryluk’s mother is from Carcross.

While the rest of the two teams are spending their time at school’s in Whitehorse, the two Hawryluk brothers are spending the day volunteering in Carcross.

“So there’s a Yukon connection with both teams,” Walter Brennan said.

The connection goes back even further, Brennan said.

“There’s been a Yukon connection with the KIJHL going back to the 1980’s,” he said.

While Brennan admits getting the teams up to Whitehorse was a huge amount of work, the players, staff and coaches made the job easier.

“We’ve had a tremendous amount of cooperation from both teams,” Brennan said.

The community of Whitehorse has also helped make the job easier, with billet families stepping up to the plate to host the two teams. Usually billets only have to take in one for visiting teams.

After Creston’s big win, Fernie will undoubtedly be out for revenge tonight, which should make for an excellent game for Whitehorse.