December Hockey Stories

The Rebels traveled to Nelson last weekend for a long awaited match-up with the Leafs.  While the game ended in a 5-2 win for the green team, the Rebels can take away some positives as they prepare for a return engagement with Nelson in Castlegar this Saturday.

Nelson opened the scoring with Newman from Sorrey and Norman. Soon after, on the power play, the Leafs scored again with Beitel from Petrash and Newman.  Late in the first frame Anthony Delong scored from Tyler Robinson.  Coach Junker put AP Quinn Kilmchuck out for a power play shift in the second and was rewarded as Klimchuck scored from Stu Walton and Delong.  Rebel fans joy was unfortunately short-lived as the "game of the power play goal" saw Horswill score from Newman and Beitel.  Then on another PP Schell scored again from Newman.  The Leafs rounded out their scoring with a final power play goal scored by Newman from Norman.

While a loss, the 5-2 score was not indicative of the play.  The Rebels outshot Nelson 34-23 but Leaf goalie Andrew Walton was very strong all game long stopping several point blank shots. Talking with Steve Junker he was pleased with the effort saying, "I saw many positives tonight and overall was satisfied with the efforts of the team".  He added, "we did struggle with our penalty kill in the game and allowed Nelson to move around in our zone on the power play", and "the play of Andrew Walton was a factor in the game for sure".

As the Rebels set out to do, they continued their strong play into the Saturday game against the Summerland Steam.  Scoring on their first shift, teddies rained down on the ice stopping play for a few moments. The Rebels continued to outwork, outhit and outscore the Steam taking a 10-1 win.  Led by Anthony Delong with 5 points and his line mates Tyler Robinson and Peter Mingus the Rebels played a consistent game.  Several players chipped in points including Aaron Brewer with two assists.  Notable was the hard-nosed play of the Kody Disher, Diego Bartlett, and Brenden Heinrich trio.

Tuesday saw the Rebels playing an improved Spokane Braves team.  What on paper looked like a close contest, as it turned out, was a game tilted in favor of a hard working Rebels team.  The Rebs again took the game to opposition and never looked out of control of the outcome.  Diego Bartlett led off the scoring from Disher and Heinrich in the first.  In the second, the Rebels scored three goals, first Delong from Riley Ostoforoff and Peter Mingus. Then Connor Bowen scored off a great shot assisted by Walton and Daylen Pearson.  The Rebels continued their domination of the Braves in the third with goals by Eric Alden from Robinson and Mingus and then Heinrich from Disher and Brewer for the 6-0 shutout win.  Spokane had their chances but Jordan Gluck looked strong in goal.  I noted the heads up play of AP Tanner Johnson on defense and look forward to other games for him in the line-up.

Lets bring on this weekends opposition!