Sometimes, all you have to do is shoot.
Ryan Aynsley fired home a one-timer 1:39 into overtime to give the Castlegar Rebels their first victory of the KIJHL finals, 2-1 over the Osoyoos Coyotes in Game 3 Tuesday night at the Complex.
It was the 20-year-old’s 15th goal of the playoffs, and undoubtedly his biggest of the year as the Rebels climbed back into the series, which they now trail 2-1.
“This was a do-or-die game,” Aynsley said afterwards.
“It’s huge, it’s great that we finally beat these guys.”
The Rebels opened the scoring 8:03 into the opening period, when Aynsley fired a pass across to 16-year-old sensation Jesse Knowler.
“I’m sure he’ll be playing anywhere he wants next year,” Aynsley said about the youngster. “He’s a goalscorer, one of those guys that can just put the puck in the net.”
Osoyoos waited until the third period to level the score, when Steve Sasyniuk converted a rebound past Alex Ross, who was stellar in making 16 saves for the victory.
One save in particular, off Josh Gray late in the second period, had the crowd of 786 in a frenzy.
“I was just as surprised as everybody in the stands that I made the save there,” Ross said.
Kyle Laslo suffered just his third post-season loss in 2011, making 28 stops in the process.
The physical Rebels can even the KIJHL finals at two games apiece Wednesday night at the Complex, before returning to Osoyoos for Game 5 on Friday.