The Week Ahead

The Rebels enter the week with high expectations.  Starting last night with the first game of a home and home series with the Grand Forks Border Bruins.  Talking with Steve Junker earlier in the week, he described the challenge of facing a team mired in a winless season thus far, "the players and fans expect an easy win, yet winning is never easy".  Last night's game was a case in point.  While the Rebels created some scoring opportunities in the first two periods, solid goaltending by GF's Cole Buckley, and some gritty play by the Bruin players had the score at 1-1 late into the second period, with Anthony Delong for the Rebels and Jacob Bergeron doing the damage.  A late goal by Arthur Andrews had the Rebels skating to the dressing room holding as 2-1 lead.  Not until the third did the Rebels take advantage of their puck possession and shots on goal margin and finished out with a 5-1 win with Nolan Kinney scoring two goals including a nifty backhand shot and Stuart Walton with one. The line of Walton, Kinney and Robinson was the bright light in an otherwise quiet game.  As they say, a win is a win.

The Rebels travel over "the hump" to GF Thursday and look to take advantage of one of their games in hand on the Nelson Leafs and work for a win.  The weekend finds the Rebels playing some teams higher in the standings. On Saturday the Rebels head south to take on the Braves in Spokane.  Spokane has always been a difficult team to play, particularly on their home ice.  Junker noted, "we expect a tough game..their team has solid goaltending and some talent in their lineup".  Sunday afternoon, in the Castlegar complex at 2:00 pm, should be the toughest test of the weekend and a chance for the Rebels to gain a win over a disciplined Penticton team, a team they lost too a week ago.  Coach Junker's thoughts included, " the Penticton team plays hard and with an airtight defensive system that we could learn a thing or to from".

Come out a cheer your team on this Sunday.   Look here for more stories through the weekend.