Rampage back on winning track after 4-2 victory over Smithers Saturday

The month started out a bit of a challenge for the Prince Rupert Rampage, with a road trip to forget into the Cariboo where they dropped both games of their trek into the interior.

However, Saturday night all was well for the Rhinos as they returned to the win column with a 4-2 victory over the Smithers Steelheads, the home ice return after a near month's absence bringing just under 950 fans into the Jim. Ciccone Civic Centre. 

It took the two teams one period to ramp up the scoring, period one's first twenty minutes slipping by with no scoring and few penalties of note.

Period Two saw the visitors take the first lead on the night finding some twine behind starting goaltender Kieran Sharpe two minutes into the middle frame.

Judd Repole brought the crowd to its feet three minutes later with a short handed and unassisted marker to tie the game up at 1-1.

That score held for ten minutes until Smithers again took the lead with their second and as things turned out their final goal of the night at 15:59.

Reid Lindsay answered that less than one minute later for the home side, with Gurv Sekhon and Nolan Stava picking up the helpers.

Period three was all Rampage, three minutes in Tyler Matalone added to the Rhino lead, his marker assisted by Tyler Ostrom.

Just past the midway point of the final frame the Rampage netted their final goal with Kory Movold converting a passing play from Reid Lindsay and Tyler Ostrom for the fourth and final goal of the night at 11:45.

Kieran Sharp turned aside the remaining 15 of 17 shots directed his way,  Owen Reed took the loss for the Visitors facing 40 shots on the night, surrendering the four goals.

The night was a fairly easy one for the officiating crew, only 10 penalties in total were called all but one minors, bringing eight minutes of penalty box time for Smithers, 20 for Prince Rupert. 

The third period providing for the most challenges to keep emotions under control,  as well as the assessing of one major, that a misconduct of a Boarding call issued to the Rampage's Jared Meers at 10:51

The full boxscore for Saturday's game can be reviewed here.

The Win keeps the Rampage nipping at the skates of the Terrace River Kings, trailing the Skeena Valley club by two points, the Rhinos have one game in hand.

Saturday's home game was a pit stop of sorts before another return to the road for Prince Rupert, the Rampage head for Quesnel once again this Saturday, followed by a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Nechako North Stars in Vanderhoof.

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