Rebels win big to extend Murdoch Final, Game five Monday at NDCC Arena
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The two front-runners in the Kootenay Conference will need at least five games to advance to the next round after both Nelson and Kimberley each dropped Game four of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Playoffs Saturday.
Castlegar Rebels rang up five on the visiting Leafs to rout the Green and White 6-2 in Murdoch Division Final in the Sunflower City.
The Rebels chased Murdoch Division’s top netminder Josh Williams just eight minutes into the game.
Meanwhile, Ben Kelsch stopped all 34 shots to spark the Columbia Valley Rockies to a 1-0 victory over the Dynamiters in Invermere.
Both series resume Monday in Nelson and Kimberley.
In Castlegar, the Rebels refused to be swept out of the playoffs and jumped all over Williams and the Leafs.
Unassisted goals by Brandon Costa and Brady Daniels, his first of two in the period, gave Castlegar a 2-0 lead six-plus minutes into the game.
Chris Breese made it 3-0 less than two minutes later prompting the Leaf coaching staff to make a goalie change.
Relief goalie Caiden Kreitz had just a difficult time between the pipes as Daniels and Breese each scored before the period ended to give the home side the commanding lead.
Ed Lindsay made it 6-0 early in the second before Ryan Piva and Justin Podgorenko beat Rebel starter Tanner Douglas in the second and third periods.
Nelson did manage to outshoot the Rebels in the game, including a 19-5 advantage in the third.
In the Eddie Mountain series, Kelsch was unbeatable as the Nelson Minor Hockey grad frustrated the Nitros through 60 minutes.
Trailing 1-0 after Davin Burton scored on the power play for Columbia Valley, Kimberley put up 30-plus shots on Kelsch, including a 19-3 total in the third period.
Grizzlies, Chiefs win to even Okanagan Shuswap Conference series
In the Okanagan Shuswap Conference, both series are tied 2-2 after Revelstoke Grizzlies and Kelowna Chiefs registered wins Saturday.
Tommy Bodtker and Nii Noi Tetteh each scored twice to lead the Grizzlies to a 7-4 win over the Wranglers in 100 Mile House.
In Kelowna, the Chiefs evened the series against Osoyoos by defeating the Coyotes 6-2.
Both series continue Monday in Osoyoos and Revelstoke.
The Conference Finals begin Friday at the home of the team finishing higher in the regular season standings.
