ASSINIBOIA – It was a big weekend for the Assiniboia Rebels in the Notekeu Hockey League, posting two wins at home and further cementing their top-o-the-league status.
Friday night (Jan. 27) action saw the Coronach Merchants visit the Southland Co-op Centre - the number two team in the NHL threatening to knock the Rebels off their pedestal.
Assiniboia was first to hit the scoreboard with a goal from Bryce Hall (assisted by Sean Whelan and Kyle Hall), making for the lone goal of the first frame.
Second period action was where the Rebels began firing their guns, adding four more points to the scoreboard. Kyle Hall (from Daxin Peterson and Whelan) doubled the lead early with his power play goal. Peterson (from K. Hall and B. Hall) would go on to grab a power play goal of his own a few minutes later. Bryce Hall (from K. Hall) made the game 4-0 with his second goal of the night.
However, Coronach was not about to leave this contest without making their mark. Alex Hicks (from Robert Hillier) took advantage of the extra man to break the shut out.
But, that glory was short-lived as Bryce Hall (from K. Hall) would answer with his hat trick, earning a 5-1 lead for the Rebels.
Third period action traded goals for dropped gloves as tempers flared. The Merchants ended up with the most time in the sin bin, punctuated with Josh Hanson’s five minutes for fighting and game misconduct.
With neither team tickling the twine in the final frame, that 5-1 Rebels lead would stick as a final.
High off their rough and tumble win, the Rebels were ready to host the Glentworth Thunder on Jan. 28. First period action saw the Thunder taking a 2-1 lead, being first to the scoreboard with a goal from Cody Corcoran (from Blair Spengler and Josh Smith) with just over five minutes left in the first. That goal seemed to spark Assiniboia, though, as Whelan (from Mitch Boucher) tied the game a couple minutes later. However, a solo firecracker from Ryan Brisebois would give Glentworth that point advantage.
The middle frame was dominated with Rebels goals, first from Kyle Hall (from Peterson and Boucher) halfway through the frame. Mitch Holick (from Lane Cayer and Spencer Bushell) added a lamplighter a couple minutes later, then Peterson (from Whelan and K. Hall) rounded out scoring, giving Assiniboia a 4-2 lead going into the third period.
Now the final frame seemed to be the cliffhanger with both the Rebels and Thunder providing some action-packed plays. A short handed goal from Bryce Hall (from K. Hall) mere seconds into the third period set the course. Riley Malone (from Zack Evans and Derek Lessmeister) echoed shortly after, then Kyle Hall (from Matthew Lothian and Cayer) added his second goal of the game, capping Rebels’ scoring at 7-2.
Not to be outdone, the Thunder rallied to shorten the gap with a pair of goals from Cam Schafer (from Chad Brisebois and Taylor Cowie) and a solo attempted from Beau Larson. Despite their efforts, Glentworth couldn’t quite catch up, giving Assiniboia the 7-4 victory.
We’re coming to the last weekend of the regular season, and the Rebels will host the Avonlea Arrows on Feb. 3 before rounding out the home at home meet up in the Avonlea arena on Feb. 4.
Other league action sees the Merchants visiting the Thunder on Feb. 3, then the Gravelbourg Hornets coming to the Glentworth Waverley Sports Gardens on Feb. 4. One final regular season match-up will see the Arrows play their third game in as many nights when they travel to the Coronach Sportsplex to battle the Merchants.
