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Rebels split pair of away games while one player splits bone

Forward Aaron Petten could be out six to eight weeks with a broken ankle after crashing into the boards in Kelowna.
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Rebels forward #16-Aaron Petten suffered a broken ankle in a game in Kelowna against the Chiefs on Saturday

The Rebels took their 6-4-0-3 record on the road this past weekend, splitting a pair of games with the North Okanagan Knights and Kelowna Chiefs of the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference on Oct. 18 and 19.

On Friday, the Rebels found success across multiple lines with five goal-scorers finding success against goaltenders Mitch Profeit and Zach Dyment. Profeit was between the pipes for just over 35 minutes of the game.

North Okanagan struck first when defenceman Ryley Booth beat Nate Rabbit with just with just 21 seconds left in the opening frame.

Rookie forward Jeremy McNeil opened the scoring at 16:02 of the second period. The Knights countered with one of their own from Colin Robin under a minute later but after that, the Rebels took full control of the game.

Four more goals in the second, from Chase Reddin, Mike Bhatoa, Darren Medeiros and Hunter Jenerou sealed the 5-2 win without any goals being scored by either side in the third.

In the second game of the road trip on Saturday, the Rebels found much tougher opposition in Kelowna, getting a taste of their own medicine by falling to the Chiefs 8 - 2 at the Rutland Arena.

In an unfortunate incident, Rebels forward Aaron Petten, with three goals and 4 assists in 15 games this season, suffered a broken ankle in the second period and spent the night in hospital.

"I was chasing my man down on the forecheck, I turned towards the boards then lost an edge," said Petten. "Went feet first into the boards at a fast pace."

Petten underwent surgery on Sunday and said it "went well."

"I could possibly be skating in six to eight weeks," he said. "It's hard to say right now. I think I could be back by the new year maybe."

Both Rebels goals came from left-handed forward Derek Georgopoulos, who notched the first goal of the game at 16:35 on the power play and later added another goal tying the Chiefs at two with 6:16 on the clock in the opening period.

Kelowna, however, went on to score three times in each of the next two periods. Rebels starter Nate Rabbitt was yanked in favour of Patrick Zubick just over 40 minutes in.

The Chiefs also beat North Okanagan the next day, solidifying their lead atop the Okanagan Division with 21 points, three more than their nearest rival, Osoyoos. A consistent theme for the Rebels in both games was the lack of production from their power play, going 2 for 16 total.

The Rebels next play in Fruitvale against long-time division rivals, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, on Friday, Oct. 25.