While better than zero points, the Castlegar Rebels were certainly hoping for more out of their weekend home and home with Beaver Valley than a single point.
The Rebels had to fight back to get the 2-2 tie at home Saturday night, after being doubled, 6-3, in Fruitvale Friday against the Nitehawks.
On Friday, The ‘Hawks were led by four goals and two assists from veteran forward Dallas Calvin who opened the scoring at 14:02 of the first period with a short-handed goal. Jamie Vlanich tied the game shortly after with a power play marker assisted by Aaron Brewer and Diego Bartlett. The home team took a commanding 4-1 lead after the first with three unanswered goals to end the period.
A power play goal from Dan Holland at 5:54 of the second put BV up 5-1. Goals from Aaron Petten (Kody Disher, Erik Alden) and Alden (Stu Walton, Matt Reed) gave Castlegar some life as they moved within two goals. But the visitors couldn’t get any closer and would fall 6-3.
Connor Beauchamp struggled between the pipes for the Rebs, giving up four goals on 13 shots and getting the yank at 16:03 of the first period. Jordan Gluck finished the game, stopping 22 of 24 shots.
The Rebels outshot the ‘Hawks 41-37.
On Saturday, a scoreless first period saw Rebel players Bryan Lubin and Matt Reed tossed after a late period dust-up. Lubin came to the defence of Reed, who had been viciously crosschecked by BV’s Michael Bell after the whistle. Somehow the Rebs found themselves down a skater for five minutes after the brouhaha, but were able to kill the Nitehawks extended power play.
Aaron Petten put the Rebs up 1-0 at 5:46 of the second period. Kurt Black quickly countered for BV to even the game up at 4:12 of the second.
Riley Brandt put the visitors up 2-1 just over a minute into the third stanza; a goal that looked like it might stand up as the game winner.
However, Veteran Rebels’ forward Diego Bartlett scored with 3:07 left in the third period, assisted by Aaron Brewer and Stuart Walton, to tie the game at 2-2.
Neither team was able to score in overtime and the game ended a draw.
Jordan Gluck played well in net for BV, stopping 35 shots and picking up the game’s first star, while his Beaver Valley counterpart Zach Perehudoff had a strong performance of his own stopping 42 Castlegar shots.