Rampage back on the ice for 2016 with back to back games tonight and tomorrow

They last dropped the puck in competitive action on December 19th, so there may be a few Christmas calories to shake off when the Prince Rupert Rampage take to the ice tonight in Kitimat.

A return to action that launches the first of two games on the weekend for the Rhinos, with four key points up for grabs in the competitive West division.

Tonight's match up with a puck drop at 8 PM at Tamitik, will find a frustrated Ice Demon squad looking to make a run in the final weeks, having been on the wrong end of the scoreboard for much of the 2015-16 schedule, yet looking to get things back on track with playoffs looming on the horizon.

Saturday the Rampage are home to the Terrace River Kings, hosting their final home game of the regular season against one of their key regional rivals.

Set to take on a River Kings team that has been surging of late in the CIHL standings, climbing to the top of the West and currently in a tie with the Smithers Steelheads.

The River Kings match up should make for a high tempo offensive kind of game, with the Terrace team featuring three players, Kenny Nordstrom, Ben Reinbolt and Steve Culls who currently hold down spots in the Top Ten CIHL scoring lists this season, with Kory Movald of the Rampage also in the conversation when it comes to the top end of the scoring list.

Scoring could be a challenge for the home side however, the River Kings are particularly stingy in their own end of the rink having surrendered only 39 goals through the season to this point, the Rampage on the other hand will have to play a strong defensive game to shut down the River Kings, an area where they have struggled at times through the year.

Saturday will also be reunion night for the celebrated Prince Rupert Kings, with the legendary squad of the seventies and eighties to be recognized prior to Saturday night's home finale.

Fans should arrive a little bit early for the 7 PM start to Saturday's game, so as not to miss out on the walk down memory lane at the Jim.

The Prince Rupert Rampage will recognize the trailblazers
of hockey in the Northwest on Saturday night with a
ceremony to celebrate the Prince Rupert Kings
of the seventies and eighties
(photo from the Prince Rainy Rupert Facebook page)

Following the weekend action, the Rampage have but two games remaining in the regular season schedule, with two games in Smithers next weekend that will make for key points in placement heading into the CIHL playoffs.

A look at the standings heading into this weekends action would suggest that the battle for the Rampage now is one to hold off the Ice Demons from overtaking the Rhinos in third, the Rampage can help their cause on the road tonight, while building momentum down this final stretch will also be key for any playoff plans.

Unlike previous years, all of the CIHL teams will qualify for post season play regardless of their won-loss record, the stretch to the end of the month providing for home ice advantage and one more chance for gate receipts in post season play.

You can find more items of note on the Rampage from their Facebook page and twitter feed, while a larger look at both the home side and the CIHL in general can be found on our archive page here.