Anderson tricks Riders as Rebels open Confernce final with a bang
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By The Nelson Daily Sports
It’s didn’t take the Castlegar Rebels long to shake of any rust built up from a four-day layoff.
Taylor Anderson scored three times and sniper Ryan Aynsley added three points as the Rebels crushed the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Eddie Mountain champs from Fernie 8-4 in game one of the Kootenay Conference Final Monday at the Memorial Arena.
Game two of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday in Fernie.
The difference in this game was Castlegar’s ability to make former mate and KIJHL great Andrew Walton look average in the Riders’ net.
After a third-period power play goal Thomas Abenante brought Fernie back all the way from a 4-1 deficit, the Rebels picked up the offence to score four unanswered goals in the third period to complete the rout.
Anderson, with his third of the game on the power play, got the rout going two minutes after Abenante’s tally.
Diego Bartlett, Anthony Delong and Stuart Walton also scored in the third as Walton was chase from the net in favour of backup Fraser Abdallah.
Aynsley and Spencer Brodt also scored for Castlegar.
Marty Hicks, giving Fernie a short-lived 1-0 lead, Cale Wright and Jeff Zmurchyk replied for the Ghostriders.
Castlegar out shot Fernie 36-31.
Tempers flared in the final minutes of the game started when Abenante was whistled for a checking from behind penalty.
Two players with ties to Nelson were in the lineup for the Riders.
Former Leaf Connor McLaughlin, traded to Fernie at the January deadline, recorded an assist during game one.
The other player is Matt Carr, an affiliate player with the Kootenay Ice of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. Carr played nine games this season for Fernie.
Dogs even series
In Osoyoos, Corey Allen scored at 8:33 of overtime to lift the Coyotes to a 3-2 victory over the Revelstoke Grizzlies in game two of the Okanagan Conference Final.
The win allowed the Dogs to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1 after the Grizz scored a convincing 8-2 win Sunday.
Brad Friedrich had tied the game for the defending KIJHL champs with just over two minutes remaining in the third period on the power play.
Game three is Wednesday in Revelstoke.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
