1954 - 55 WIHL Season This is the 1954 - 55 season of the Western International Hockey League : Semi Finals . " Best of 5 " Nelson Maple Leafs beat Trail Smoke Eaters 3 wins to 1 . Kimberley Dynamiters beat Spokane Flyers 3 wins to none . Final . " Best of 7 " Kimberley Dynamiters beat Nelson Maple Leafs 4 wins to 1 . Kimberley Dynamiters advanced to the 1954 - 55 British Columbia Senior Playoffs . History . Dynamiters Were Strong in 1955 By Jack " Buck " Kavanaugh The Kimberley Dynamiters defeated the powerful Nelson Maple Leafs four games to one in a best - of - seven series for the 1954 - 55 WIHL championship . The Dynamiters went on to play the Vernon Canadians in the Savage Cup playdowns , and were trounced four games to one . It was a frustrating season for the Dynamiters . FIRST - - they lost the league title to the Nelson Maple Leafs in the final game of the season , 4 - 3 at Nelson , after leading the pack most of the entire season . SECOND - - Buzz Mellor lost the scoring championship to Nelson ' s Joe Bell by less than one point , with the percentage basis in force that year . Joe Bell picked up an assist on the Maple Leaf final goal of the regulation season , by just being on the ice . He no more deserved an assist on the goal than the timekeeper , but nevertheless it cost Buzz Mellor the scoring crown . Claude Bell of the Kimberley Dynamiters enjoyed his best season ever , finishing one point behind teammate Buzz Mellor in the scoring race . He paced the league in the goal department that term , with 30 markers in only 34 games , while most of the other teams played a 44 game schedule . THIRD - - the Dynamiters ace goalie , Earl Betker , lost out to Nelson ' s Ray Mikulan for the goaltending award , by a slim margin of 3 . 97 to 3 . 95 average . One consolation : Earl Betker was picked the WIHL All - Star netminder that season . FOURTH - - Earl Betker suffered a severe back injury when he came out of his net to block Fritz Koehle ' s shot in the second game of the playoffs in Nelson . The courageous Dynamiter goalie , after being carried from the ice , returned to play the ten minutes of regulation time , and held the Dynamiters in the game in overtime , with playing coach Norm Larsen scoring the winner with 12 seconds remaining in the first overtime . It wasn ' t necessary to dress a spare goaltender in those days , and Betker disobeyed the doctor ' s advice , and went out and many many brilliant saves , despite the fact he was labouring under terrific pain . He failed to see further action for the Dynamiters that season , with Kimberley securing the services of Spokane ' s Jerry Fodey . Just to show you how desperate the Nelson Maple Leafs wanted to win was when they launched a protest to the WIHL , on the grounds that the injured Betker took approximately 15 minutes to return to action . The protest was disallowed after the league executitive conferred with the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association ( BCAHA ) , and the bad publicity the Maple Leafs received didn ' t help their cause . The Maple Leaf players were not in favour of the protest . Jerry Fodey proved himself a real sportsman by coming to the Dynamiters rescue . When contacted by the Dynamiters executitive , he never even asked about money , but caught a bus for Kimberley and played brilliantly in the Dynamiters net . FIFTH - - The WIHL introduced 12 man hockey in the league that season , and when the Dynamiters met the Vernon Canadians in the Savage Cup finals , they were a tired crew . The Okanagan Senior League played with a 15 man roster that season . The Dynamiters played four games in as many nights in their semi - finals against the Spokane Flyers , and to top it off , rushed right into the WIHL finals against the Nelson Maple Leafs , playing five games in six days . The players were not supermen , and it showed in their series with Vernon . SIXTH - - The Dynamiters were forced to make Kelowna their headquarters , because the BCAHA decided to play games in Penticton , Kelowna , Vernon and Kamloops , due to the fact that Vernon wasn ' t supporting senior hockey . In order to bring their roster up to strength , the Dynamiters talked Bill " Tank " Johnston and Jack " Buck " Kavanaugh out of retirement , in order to dress three lines . Beat Spokane in Semi - Finals The Kimberley Dynamiters and Spokane Flyers locked horns in a best - of - five semi - final series ; with the Nelson Maple Leafs taking on the last place Trail Smoke Eaters in a similiar affair . The Leafs took the Smokies out in four games , with the Dynamiters doing likewise to the Flyers . Backed by the scintillating goaltending of Earl Betker , the Dynamiters won the opening game against Spokane 5 - 2 , before 1 , 600 home fans . Claudie Bell paced the Dynamiters with two goals , with singletons going to Buzz Mellor , Gerry Barre and Barry Craig . Lorne Nadeau collecte both Spokane goals . Bill Jones , the Dynamiters hard working defenceman , was picked the number one star of the game . The Dynamiters continued their winning ways by racking up a 6 - 4 triumph the following night , before 1 , 700 delerious spectators . Cal Hockley was the Dynamiters big gun with the hat trick , with Buzz Mellor picking up a pair of goals , and Norm Knippleberg the other . Tom Hodges registered two counters for the Flyers , and Frank Kubasek and Lorne Nadeau had one apiece . Gordon Andre , a league All - Star defenceman , was a standout for Kimberley . The scene switched to Spokane for the next two games , with the Flyers capturing the first game by the score of 4 - 1 . George Senick , Red Tilson , Doug Toole and Lorne Nadeau were the Spokane goal getters . Buzz Mellor ruined Jerry Fodey ' s bid for a shutout . Both teams appeared weary , after playing four games in four nights , with the Dynamiters showing just enough pep to tack up a 4 - 3 victory and in doing so , eliminated the Flyers from the playoff scene . Buzz Mellor continued to lead the Dynamiters with a pair of goals , with Barry Craig and Norm Knippleberg gathering singles . Jackie Miller potted a brace of goals for Spokane , and Lorne Nadeau one . Dynamiters Hot In Nelson Series The Kimberley Dynamiters , who had not won a WIHL championship since the 1946 - 47 season , made no mistakes in the finals against the Nelson Maple Leafs . The Dynamiters , under the capable eye of playing coach Norm Larsen , spotted the Leafs the first game , and then came roaring back to win four in a row . Dr . Joesph Vingo of Nelson was the WIHL President that season , and made a switch in the playoff pattern . He ordered the first two games to be played in the home arena of the top team , and the following three away from home , and if necessary , the next two back in the rink where the series started . Norman Larsen , who remembered what happened in the previous year when the Dynamiters won the league championship , and lost out to the Nelson Maple Leafs in the WIHL finals , was determined the same mistake wasn ' t going to happen again ; and had his team humming on all cylinders . The Dynamiters blew a 4 - 1 lead in the opening game , before over 2 , 000 Nelson fans , with the Leafs coming on strong to post a 6 - 5 verdict . Lee Hyssop sparked the Leafs with two goals , with Mickey Maglio , Murray Parker , Vic Lofvendahl and Joe Bell adding singles . Claudie Bell scored twice for the Dynamiters , with Buzz Mellor , Barry Craig and Norm Knippleberg rounding out the scoring sheet . The Dynamiters turned the tables on the Leafs the following night , before a capcity crowd , by shading the Leafs 6 - 5 in overtime . Coach Larsen played the hero role by scoring a pretty goal with only 12 seconds remaining in the first overtime . It had looked bad for the Dynamiters , with less than ten minutes remaining in regulation time , when Earl Betker received his severe back injury . The score was knotted at 5 - 5 at the time , and the Dynamiters sent out an S . O . S . for either Seth Martin or Reno Zanier , but neither was in the arena . The Dynamiters ' spare netminder , Art Gold , was back in Kimberley . Betker insisted on returning , and turned in a sparkling performance . Norm Knippleberg paced the Dynamiters with a pair of goals , with Cal Hockley , Claudie Bell , Buzz Mellor and Larsen one each . Nelson received goals from Joe Bell , Fritz Koehle , Herb Jeffrey , Lee Hyssop and Bruce Carmichael . Take Three Straight At Home The Kimberley Dynamiters were at their best playing before capcity crowds at home , and made short order of the Leafs . The first game saw the Dynamiters strike like lightning twice , before the period was 30 seconds old , and went on to score a convincing 6 - 2 win . Cal Hockley scored twice , with Buzz Mellor , Norm Knippleberg , Gerry Barre and Claudie Bell hitting once . Lee Hyssop and Fritz Koehle were the Leafs ' lamplighters . Diminutive Jerry Fodey was a stand out in the Dynamiters net , and received excellent support from his blueline patrol of Bill Jones , " Terrible " Ted Lebodia , Barry Craig and Gordon " the Giant " Andre . The Dynamiters could taste victory , and had little trouble in handling the Leafs 5 - 2 in the fourth game of the series . Claudie Bell came up with a two goal effort , with Buzz Mellor , Gerry Barre and Barry Craig scoring singletons . Herb Jeffrey and Joe Bell gathered the Leafs two counters . The Maple Leafs pushed the Dynamiters to the limit in the fifth and final game of the best - of - seven series . The game ended with a story book finish , with Ray McNevin standing out like a beacon of light for the Dynamiters . The Dynamiters squeezed out a 3 - 2 win , thanks to Ray McNevin ' s two goal performance . He tied the game for Kimberley in the third period , and scored the winner in the third overtime session . It was at least ten seconds before the paralyzed crowd realised that McNevin ' s long shot ended up behind Chuck Rayner , and then they let out with a yell that rocked the ancestors . Claudie Bell scored for Kimberley in the opening period , with Lee Hyssop and Joe Bell beating Fodey . Chuck Rayner , the Nelson coach and former star goalie with the < a href = " New % 20York % 0ARangers " > New York Rangers < / a > of the NHL , pulled off a big surprise by benching regular goalie Ray Mikulan and played himself , in an effort to try and spark the Leafs . Vernon Trounced Kimberley The Kimberley Dynamiters were no match for the Vernon Canadians in the hunt for the Savage Cup , and only managed one win in their best - of - seven series . Vernon won the curtain raiser in a game played at Kelowna , 6 - 1 . The Canadians handled the Dynamiters easily in the second fixture at Vernon 9 - 2 , with the Dynamiters taking the third contest 4 - 2 , also in Vernon . The fourth game was played in Kamloops , with Vernon coming from behind to take a close verdict 5 - 3 , with their final goal scored into an empty net . Vernon wrapped up their first Savage Cup with a convincing 8 - 1 win in Penticton , before 2 , 200 fans . Vernon outscored the Dynamiters 30 goals to 11 in the series . Sherman Blair , a former Dynamiter paced Vernon in the scoring parade with six goals ; followed closely by Odie Lowe with five . Claudie Bell was the Dynamiters leading scorer , with four markers to his credit . The 1954 - 55 edition of the Vernon Canadians , under the capable guidance of playing coach George Agar , was a well balanced club , backed up by the excellent netminding of Hal Gordon . The handwriting was on the wall that senior hockey couldn ' t survive much longer in the Okanagan : for Kelowna had dropped $ 11 , 000 in 54 - 55 ; Kamloops $ 7 , 000 ; and Vernon only cleared $ 200 for the entire season - - and it was the playoff that bailed them out of serious trouble . They still owed a $ 10 , 000 deficit from the previous year . The Penticton Vs , despite the fact they had just won the Allan Cup and World Championship , were having oxygen pumped to them , in order to survive their money crisis . It wasn ' t too long before senior hockey folded like a tent , in the once hockey mad league . See also . List of WIHL Seasons