Gameday: Rebels @ Nitehawks

A battle for Neil Murdoch division supremacy tonight in Fruitvale.

The Rebels and Nitehawks hook up for the fourth of 8 meetings this season at the Beaver Valley Arena tonight with only 2 points separating them in the standings. The Nitehawks (20-9-0-2) have played 6 more games than Castlegar (20-5-0-0), but come in as one of the hottest teams in the KIJHL.

The Rebels' new-look offense was up to its old tricks in a 4-0 win against Spokane last night. It was a game that was largely played in the Braves end, and all four lines contributed with offensive chances.

Some post-game audio from last night is available:

To hear from new defenseman Mike Wiest, click here.

For goaltender Alex Ross' thoughts on the game and more, click here.

Last Meeting: Like Spokane last night, it might take the Rebels and Nitehawks a period or so to rekindle their dislike for one another. Back on October 9th, BV had an early 2-0 lead thanks to two Dallas Calvin tallies before the Rebels stormed back for a 5-2 home win.

Our Opponent: The Hawks have been rolling over the past two months. Don't let last night's 6-2 loss in Nelson fool you, this club knows how to score. Ryon Sookro and the 16 year-old Calvin lead the attack offensively, but Alaskan newcomer Austin Sture has quietly racked up 18 points on the back end too. Number one goalie Mike Vlanich has 16 wins to his credit this year. Forward Colton Donselaar sits in a tie with Nelson's Colton Malmsten for third in the KIJHL in penalty minutes with 154. The cozy confines of the Hawksnest provide for considerably less free space than some other KIJHL rinks, something no doubt the home side will try to use to their advantage tonight.

Broadcast Info: Our friends in BV will have the webcast call beginning at 7:30.

In the Press Box: This could get tricky. Rebels forward Spencer Brodt and d-man Darren Tarasoff could be forced to sit out after both picked up fighting majors in the last ten minutes of last night's game, which means Corbin Legros and Curtis Pereverzoff will likely draw back into the lineup tonight (stay tuned to the Rebels twitter for any late-breaking suspension news). AP callup Jesse Knowler did not look out of place in his third appearance with Castlegar this season. His Kootenay Ice major midget club has the weekend off so he (or a teammate) could very well play with the Rebels tonight.

Out of Town: Nelson have a tough task ahead of them tonight as they visit the Osoyoos Coyotes. Another one to watch takes place in Fernie tonight, the Ghostriders host Revelstoke in a battle of division leaders.