The Castlegar Rebels picked up a point over the weekend, and saw some stellar goaltending against one of the KIJHL’s top teams, but their losing streak has now reached eight games (not 11 as erroneously stated last week).
The Rebels fell 4-3 in overtime to the league-leading Kelowna Chiefs on Friday despite opening the scoring early in the first on a Justin Duguay goal. Kelowna tied it on a shorthanded goal midway through the period, then went ahead 2-1 on the powerplay in the second.
In the third period, Ben Anderson tied things up for Castlegar and Colby Winia gave the Rebels a 3-2 lead with a little over five minutes left. However, with a minute remaining on the clock, Kelowna sent the game to overtime.
Kayson Gallant scored for Kelowna one minute into extra time. Anderson had an assist in addition to his goal to lead Castlegar skaters. The Rebels were badly outshot, 60-21, but Dawson Rattai made 56 saves.
The Rebels also fell 5-2 to Nelson on Saturday, although they again opened the scoring, with Colby Chavez Leech notching a powerplay goal. However, they then gave up three unanswered goals and the first period ended 3-1 Leafs. The Leafs added another goal in the second and another in the third. Tyren Grimsdale scored for Castlegar in the third, but it was too little too late. Rattai stoped 23 of the 28 shots he faced.
Castlegar’s record slips to 6-13-0-4. They are last in the Neil Murdoch Division, four points back of Grand Forks with three games in hand.
The Rebels are on the road this weekend to face Columbia Valley on Friday and Creston Valley on Saturday. They return home next Tuesday for a match against Spokane at 7 p.m.