Local hockey teams are back at it again this weekend with the Eddie Mountain Division KIJHL teams and the Cranbrook Bucks in action.
The Bucks have two games. They’ll play the West Kelowna Warrior on Friday followed by the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Saturday.
Both games are on the road, as the Bucks’ home opener won’t be until Oct. 6 for a back-to-back against the Merritt Centennials.
In the KIJHL, the Kimberley Dynamiters play the Thunder Cats in Creston on Friday and the Nelson Leafs at home on Saturday.
“We’re starting to do a lot more system-related things in practice this week and looking for the guys to implement that in gameplay on Friday and Saturday and getting ready for our first road game of the season,” said Dynamiters head coach and GM Derek Stuart.
The Golden Rockets have another busy weekend ahead of them. Last week they played three games and they have another three games on the road this weekend.
“It’s a tough way to start the season with six games in fourteen games but we’ll find a way to get things done and it’s good for us to get on the road early,” said Rockets head coach and GM Chuck Wight.
“All teams like to do that and get a little bit of team bonding going. It’s always a tough test in the KI (KIJHL) so it doesn’t matter who you’re playing it’s just a matter of being ready to go and I think that’s the key thing for us.”
The Columbia Valley Rockies will look to have another strong weekend after scoring seven goals in both games last weekend.
They will be on the road this weekend for three games, taking on the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, Grand Forks Border Bruins and the Spokane Chiefs.
“It’s going to be tough with the travel,” said Rockies head coach and GM Tayler Sincennes.
“We have a young group, so three games in two and a half days are going to be tough on them but I expect the same effort. If they bring the same effort regardless of the outcomes we’ll be happy. We’ve been in the gym and on the ice conditioning so I’m hoping those three quick games won’t affect their conditioning. In a perfect weekend, we’d have three more wins but we’d like to see just three good efforts Friday, Saturday and Sunday when we’re on the road.”