Rebels rake Leafs 6 - 3
By Contributor
– Files courtesy Castlegar Rebels Fan Club Facebook page (click here to visit)
The Castlegar Rebels top trio of Ed Lindsey, John Moeller, and Logan Styler put nine points on the board as the Rebels defeated the Nelson Leafs 6-3 and extended their winning streak to eight games.
The Rebels and Leafs faced off in Castlegar for the second time in the last two weeks and were looking to continue to keep pace with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
The Nitehawks have jumped out to an early lead in the Neil Murdoch Division. The hottest team in the KIJHL has strung together a thirteen game winning streak and a record of 16-3-1-0-1 as we approach the midway point of the KIJHL season. The Rebels however, are keeping pace as of late. With their own winning streak at seven, the Rebels were looking to take advantage of a Leafs team that has only won once in their last 10 games.
The first period was a back and forth game for the first ten minutes, with both goaltenders playing strong. Jason Mailhoit had to be sharp as the Leafs would see three opportunities on the power play in the opening frame. The Rebels penalty kill, ranked fourth in the KIJHL would keep the Leafs powerplay off the board.
Nico Sidoni would continue his strong play of late and get the scoring started for the Rebels with his third goal of the season, at the 6:54 mark of the period. Shortly thereafter, the hottest line in the KIJHL would all hit the board as Ed Lindsey (9th) would put the Rebels up by two before the end of the first period, with assists going to Logan Styler and John Moeller.
Leafs captain, Sawyer Hunt would get called for Goaltender Interference just twenty-one seconds into the second period. The Rebels powerplay only needed thirty-six seconds to make the lead 3-0 when Ed Lindsey (10th) would fire a one-timer past Leafs netminder Devin Allen.
Less than a minute later the Leafs would get one back when rookie forward Charlie Wilkie would pick-up his first KIJHL goal on a feed from Eamonn Miller and direct it behind Mailhoit. The scoring would intensify from here. First Logan Styler (16th) would continue to chip away at KIJHL league leading scorer Paxton Malone, and then the Leafs would score the next two on goals by Jordan Unger (5th) and Dale Howell (12th).
Rebels would regain the two-goal lead before the end of the frame when defenseman Jacob Boston would jump up and chip in his third of the season.
The third period would see great action back and forth as the Leafs would push to get within striking distance. But Rebels netminder Jason Mailhoit would hold the line for the Rebels closing out the game making 41 saves. The final goal was an empty-net marker by John Moeller (16th) on a unselfish play by Rebels rookie forward Brandon Costa who feed the puck to Moeller on a two on none break down the ice toward the empty Leafs net.
The Rebels will look to close out an undefeated month with their ninth straight victory on Saturday, Nov. 26th when the last place Golden Rockets will come to town. Game time is 7pm at the Castlegar & District Recreation Complex.
The Leafs will look to finish the month of November on a strong note starting on Saturday, Nov. 26th with an important divisional game with the Grand Forks Border Bruins, and then will wrap up the month with a Tuesday, Nov. 29th game versus the struggling Spokane Braves. Game time for both games is 7pm at the Nelson Community Complex.
