Thanks to the KIJHL and BCIHL for scoring information
Outshooting their Boundary-country visitors by a margin of 35-28, The Castlegar Rebels made the interlude an unpleasant one for the Grand Forks Border Bruins Sunday afternoon at the community complex.
Ten-four was the final score for the home squad who was up 5-1 after the first period on tallies by Darren Madeiros with his first of three (Hunter Jenerou & Sturart Walton), Aaron Brewer (Matt Reed & Dylan Bowerman), Travis Wellman (Diego Bartlett & Brett Leidl), Aaron Petten (Leidl & Eric Alden), and Diego Bartlett (Matt Reed and Jamie Vlanich). The lone Bruins' marker was recorded by Connor Bowen from Dakota Kittle and Brandon Savaia.
The Bruins made a valiant effort with a strong second period, coming out with a flurry and scoring in the first minute on an unassisted foray by Jackson Purvis.
The rebs reasserted control with Medeiros notching his second on the day with assists going to Brewer and Riley Ostoforoff. The Bruins kept in the hunt with Nathan Cory (John Skeet) and Coleton Dawson on the power play (Kittle & Purvis) keeping things hopeful, drawing the border bunch within a pair.
The third period, however belonged to the hosts who wrapped things up with three – Stuart Walton from Aaron Brewer, Darren Medeiros completing the hat-trick from Walton and Alden then Jamie Vlanich from Diego Bartlett.
Patrolling the creases for Castlegar and Grand Forks, respectively, were Jordan Gluck and Dallas Varey.
The Rebel win (following a 2-0 blanking of the Beaver Valley NiteHawks in Fruitvale the night before) clinched the divisional title for the team with 74 points, six ahead of second place Nelson Leafs, with whom the Rebels close out the regular season Feb 15 and 16 with a home and home set.
Saints Update:
The Selkirk Saints kept up their successful season with a convincing win Saturday at home versus UVic.
The final was 4-1 with goals coming from Dylan Smith (Jackson Garrett & Logan Proulx), Thomas Hardy (Connor McLaughlin & Mason Spear), Spear (Proulx & Jordan Wood), and Hardy, again, from Beau Taylor and Cody Fidgett.
The win was the latest in the Saints' magical run which stood at 17-1-0 as of Sunday. Selkirk closes out the regular season schedule with a home game this Saturday versus Eastern Washington, (7:30 start at the community complex) then three road games, Feb. 17, 22 and 23 against EWU, Thompson Rivers and SFU.