Rampage Ring in 2023 on a winning note, with thriller of an OT victory over Terrace River Kings

The Prince Rupert Rampage have enlisted in the fight against Cancer and 
invite their fans to join in through January at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre
(photo from Prince Rupert Rampage Facebook)

The Prince Rupert Rampage launched the second half of the 2022-23 CIHL season on the right skate, with high flying, hard hitting overtime victory over their west division rivals from Terrace on Saturday night.

The regional showdown was the first action for both teams in 2023 and the old rivalry did not disappoint  the 941 fans listed as in attendance at the Madhouse on McBride.

The Rhinos opened the scoring up at the fifteen minute mark with Hunter Johnson picking up the first marker of the night, a goal assisted by Judd Repole and serving as the only scoring play of the first period.

The Second period saw the ice tilt towards the River Kings, who picked up three goals during the middle frame, answered twice by the Rampage.

The first Prince Rupert goal at the 9:28 mark with Hunter Johnson once again finding the twine on the power play, with assists going to Judd Repole and Hunter Atchinson, two of the River King markers came following, with the Rampage back on the board at the close of the second period.

Once again a Terrace penalty put the Rhinos on the power play, with Tyler Ostrom picking up the goal at 19:17, assisted by Reid Lindasy and Judd Repole once again. 

The two teams took to their dressing rooms tied at 3-3 with twenty minutes to go.

The Third was an all out shoot out with the two teams trading off a number of scoring opportunities, the Rampage picking up two goals within the first ten minutes.

Judd Repole found the mark at the 3:51 point, assisted by Jacob Santurbano, four minutes later it was Drew Fudger finding the range, assisted by Brody Hemrich and Marcus Atchison.

Three consecutive goals by the River Kings put them into a late game lead by a score of 6-5, the Terrace squad looking to ride out some frantic play towards a victory. 

However, Hunter Atchinson had other ideas, his unassisted goal at 18:22 brought the teams even once again at 6-6 and the third period ended with Overtime on the menu.

The extra frame would be a short lived bit of drama, with Reid Lindsay putting the game away at the seventeen second mark with the winning OT marker, assisted by Hunter Atchinson and Kory Movold. 

The marker securing a comeback and making for the 7-6 final in favour of Prince Rupert.

The win went to Kieran Sharpe in the Rampage nets and while penalties played a role in the game, it wasn't a nigh that filled the penalty box.

The River Kings were assessed 12 minutes of penalty time on 6 infractions, the Rampage made nine trips to the penalty box for 18 minutes of servitude. 

The full summary from Saturday night can be reviewed here.

The Victory aded to the strong record for the Rampage so far this season, the Rhinos now boast of an 8-2 record which post them atop the entire CHIL standings heading into play this coming weekend.

The night was a big one off the ice as well on Saturday, marking the first of this months games to pay tribute to the fight against Cancer.

Friday night the Rampage are on the road as they head to Hazelton and a match up with the Wolverines.

The Rampage return to the Jim and rejoin that fight against cancer on Saturday, when the Kitimat Ice Demons come to town for a  7 PM puck drop.

Keep up to date on the Rampage through their Social Media stream.

More notes on the CIHL and the Rampage can be found by way of our archive page.