The Nelson Leafs should have brought three goalies but it may have not mattered anyway as nothing could stop the CastlegarRebels as they outplayed the Leafs to win 9-0.
Like a game of road hockey with no goalie, the Rebels scored four goals with the first five shots on net in action Dec. 2 at theCastlegar Complex.
The first goal came two minutes into the game by Tayden Woods assisted by Chris Breese and Dallas Goodwin on a powerplay. After five minutes of play Mike Bhatoa sank the first of the eventual four goals that he would pull out of his hat for theRebels. He would score two goals in the second period and one more in the third.
With Breese also scoring in the first period with 5:26 on the clock and Darren Medeiros scoring less than a minute later theLeafs were being dominated and were down 4-0 at the end of the first period. Another three goals in the second period keptthe Rebels fans boisterous while any Leafs fans were kept quiet.
After Woods scored his second goal leaving the Rebels ahead by five after 30 minutes of play, the Nelson coach decided toswap goalies. He substituted Patrick Ostermann for Zachery Babin. But it was to no avail as the Rebels scored four more times.
The third period scoring started 80 seconds in, as Bhatoa scored his fourth goal assisted by Goodwin and Medeiros. TaydenWoods who started the game’s scoring would score the Rebels ninth goal with eight minutes left in the game.
Rebels Defenceman Nick Headrick took credit for five assists and Chris Breese assisted in four goals. Castlegar Rebels CoachJesse Dorrans mixed up his usual offensive lines. Players played with different teammates than usual with positive results.
Bhatoa had a personal scoring best.
“It was one of those nights. You work hard and hope for the best. As a line we are getting better and better every game, andwe are going to keep getting better and better. Good things are going to happen,” he said.
Rebels goalie Joseph Mcleod was able to add another shutout to his record as he easily defended the Rebels net from 31shots. Backup goalie Logan Sawka would occupy the Rebels’ net as the team won in overtime against the Fernie Ghostriderson Saturday Dec. 5 in Fernie.
The Castlegar Rebels are now in first place in the Neil Murdoch Division of the KIJHL slipping ahead of the Beaver ValleyNitehawks by two points after 29 games of play for the Rebels. The Rebels have back to back home games Friday andSaturday Dec. 11 and 12 with the Osoyoos Coyotes on Dec. 11 and with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks on Dec. 12. Puck drop isat 7 p.m. for both games.
