Rebels clinch 2013 KIJHL Championship in five games
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Castlegar Rebels have won the 2013 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Championship.
The Rebels clinched the title in five games, blasting the injury-riddled North Okanagan Knights 4-0 Monday at the Castlegar Arena Complex.
Castlegar, scoring its first title since 1996, wins the best-of-seven series 4-1 and represents the KIJHL at the Cyclone Taylor Cup April 11-14 in Comox Valley.
The Rebels made sure there would be no more games in the KIJHL Final by jumping all over the Knights in the first period, out shooting North Okanagan 20-7.
The Rebels were rewarded for the deciding advantage in play when leading scorer Stuart Walton beat Dustin Nikkel in the North Okanagan next on the power play.
The goal was the first of two for Walton, who finished the KIJHL playoffs as the leading scorer with 27 points — including nine goals.
Matt Reed and Darren Medeiros also scored for the Rebels, holding period leads of 1-0 and 3-0.
Castlegar out shot the Knights 44-18 in the game with netminder Jordan Gluck serving up his second shutout of the series.
Gluck shut out North Okanagan 2-0 in Game three of the series.
The Rebels now join Richmond Sockeyes, Victoria Cougars and host Comox Valley Glacier Kings in the four-team Cyclone Taylor Cup Tournament.
The win makes up for a crushing loss to Osoyoos Coyotes in the 2011 KIJHL Final.
Castlegar’s win makes it three of the past five seasons a Murdoch Division champ has won the KIJHL title.
Nelson Leafs won the KIJHL crown in 2009 while Beaver Valley took the title in 2012.
