A revamped Prince Rupert Rampage returned to home ice with an impressive 4-2 win against the Smithers Steelheads on Nov. 25, maintaining their perfect record at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.
After a slow start in which neither team scored in the first period, Steelheads forward Ian Chrystal put the Smithers team ahead two minutes into the second period before Judd Repole dragged the Rampage back even with a slick shorthanded goal that put him at a team-leading seven goals for the season.
The Rampage, who now sit just two points off the division-leading Terrace River Kings in the CIHL West standings with a game in hand, finished the second period strong. After the Steelheads went ahead again, marauding defenceman Reid Lindsay, in his first game of the season, levelled the score in the late stages of the second period.
The third period was much more straightforward for the Prince Rupert team, with Tyler Matalone opening his account for the season in the third minute and serial-scorer Kory Movold notching his third of the year to put the game to bed with nine minutes to play.
Tyler Ostrom continued his formidable start to the season, picking up two assists in the third period.
Rampage goalie Kieran Sharpe was solid throughout, saving 15 out of 17 shots faced.
While the Rampage have enjoyed a decent start to the season, a recent road trip to the south saw the team lose 5-2 versus the Williams Lake Stampeders before being battered 9-3 by the Quesnel Kangaroos.
Though the Nov. 25 fixture gave the Rampage a brief reprieve from the road, they will travel the nearly 10-hour drive to face the Kangaroos again on Dec. 2.
The Rampage will then play in Vanderhoof, Hazelton and Kitimat before finally returning to the Jim Ciccone on Jan. 5.
In between, however, they will be playing an exhibition match against Kitimat Dec. 22 at home to kickoff their 2023-2025 cancer research fundraiser.
READ MORE: Increased wolf encounters cause for concern in North Coast municipalities