Rebels face elimination game Saturday after Dogs 4-2 win in Game five
By The Nelson Daily Sports
It’s taken more than six week, but the Castlegar Rebels finally face an elimination game.
A goal by Matt Geurts at seven minutes of the third period snapped a 2-2 tie and powered the Osoyoos Coyotes to a 4-2 victory over the Rebels in Game five of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Final Friday at the Sun Bowl Arena.
The Desert Dogs now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 with Game six Saturday in Castlegar — meaning the Rebels have no margin for error if the Kootenay Champs want to continue playing hockey this season.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. in the Castlegar Complex.
Tied 1-1 after 40 minutes, Thierry Martine scored a power play goal three minutes into the third to give the home side a 2-1 advantage.
But Diego Bartlett tied the contest with an unassisted marker less than a minute later. That set the stage for Geurts to score the winner.
Castlegar had a glorious chance to tie the contest in the dying minutes.
C.J. Kort was whistled for a checking to the head penalty with just over a minute left in the game giving Castlegar a six-on-four advantage with the goalie pulled.
However, with Rebel netminder Alex Ross on the bench Brock Anderson scored into an empty net to seal the victory.
Anthony Delong gave Castlegar a 1-0 lead in the first before Josh Gray evened the game.
Osoyoos out shot the Rebels in every period to for a considerable 38-28 advantage.
Kyle Laslo bounced back from two straight road losses to register the win in goal for Osoyoos.
ICE CHIPS: Matt Geurts, named the game’s first star, Steve Sasyniuk and Brock Anderson all finished the game for Osoyoos with two points. Geurts was kept off the scoresheet for the past three games. . .Jesse Knowler, on fire during the two games in Castlegar, and Rebel leading scorer Ryan Aynsley, were held scoreless in the game. Knowler had a three-game point-streak stopped Friday while Aynsley, second overall in KIJHL playoff scoring, has been shutout the past two games.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
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