WINDSOR – A slow start contributed to the Six Nations Jr. B Rebels 9-8 loss to the Windsor Clippers in their only action of the week, Friday in Windsor.
The loss is only their second of the season and it was against the first place Jr. B team in the six division, 21 team league, leaving the Rebels still in first in the Southwest Division and one point behind Windsor of the Far West Division.
Windsor ambushed the Rebels in the first period scoring the first five goals of the game before the Rebels knew what hit them. Layne Smith and Garret Vyse-Squire cut Windsor’s lead by the end of the period, but there was still a three goal hole to climb out of against a strong Windsor team.
The Clippers opened the second period but the Rebels began to claw their way back into the game in the second. Smith scored his second of the game on a powerplay assisted by Garret Vyse-Squire who scored a minute later from Kale General. Smith, an associate call up player with a huge future, scored his third of the game from Justin Martin and Miller. Travis Longboat tied the game at 6-6 before the period ended.
Penalties played a role in the third period. After Andrew Grant gave the Clippers the lead back, Chase Kavanaugh made that a two-goal lead with Wes Whitlow serving a bench minor for too-many-man. Travis Longboat took a lead pass from goalie Briley Miller for a Six Nations powerplay goal, before Kavanaugh added a powerplay goal of its own late in the game with Lyle Hill serving a five-minute major for boarding.
Longboat scored his third of the game with an extra attacker on the floor, but it was one goal too little, and too late. Longboat leads the Rebels in scoring and is right behind Windsor’s Logan Holmes in league wide scoring with 23 goals and 29 assists in nine games.
Team president Scott Smith told the Two Row Times last week that the next few games would be the acid test for the young Rebels against some of the best teams in the league, including the Clippers, and he was right.
The Rebels will host the Niagara Thunderhawks, Friday May 20th at 8 p.m. at the ILA. The T-hawks are one point behind the Rebels in divisional play heading into this week’s games. Then, Sunday 22nd, Six Nations will travel to Welland to face the improving Generals.
