On Friday night the Castlegar Rebels hosted the Fernie Ghostriders in their first game back from the Christmas break.
When the two teams met previously in Fernie on Dec. 14, the Ghostriders went on to win that game 4-3 in overtime. Showing no sign of rust after 12 days off, the Rebels would strike early, courtesy of #15 Jayden Spence’s first KIJHL goal. Fernie would go on to score two quick goals and take a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
In the second period, the Rebels would score a hatrick of different goals. First was a shorthanded goal scored by #37 Josh Gamble. This was followed by an even-strength goal by new froward #9 Brayden Vopat, who returned to the team after spending the least season and a half with the Swan Valley Stampeders of the MJHL. Then a power-play goal by #14 Carter Peters brought the Rebels up to four points. Up 4-2 after the second intermission, the Rebels would hold off a late surge by the Ghostriders and would score another shorthanded goal, this time by #25 Evan Calder who stripped a Fernie defender and finished off the corresponding breakaway.
The game would end 5-4 in favour of the Rebels, whose record now sits at 11-11-6, fourth in the Neil Murdoch Division, tied for third with the Nelson Leafs. However, the Rebels have four games in hand. This week features a rare weeknight game as the team travels to Grand Forks to take on the Border Bruins Tuesday night. Followed by two home games this weekend, Friday night against the Spokane Braves and Saturday night against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
