WHL Red Deer Rebels

Barteaux and Veteran Teammates Responsible for Maintaining Positive Attitude During Hard Times

Published on October 24, 2019 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


Like winning, losing can become contagious.

It's up to the Red Deer Rebels' older players, and they are in a minority his season, to ensure that losing doesn't create a virus in the locker room.

"It's tough for even us older guys," 19-year-old captain Dawson Barteaux admitted Thursday, in reference to the team's current five-game losing string. "We've been pretty lucky that we've had pretty good teams since I was 16, so it's different not having an older, more experienced team this year.

"It's a learning thing for us too, we just have to set a good example for those young(er) kids and remind them that while we're losing we have to look at the positives too. We have to keep our heads up, our chests out and be proud of where we're at."

That being said, the mood in the dressing room remains upbeat and the players - rookies and veterans alike - are committed to turning the season around in short order, the Dallas Stars signed prospect stated.

"It's a learning curve this year having a young team. Obviously we want to be winning games but we're all kind of learning with each other and we've seen some positives out of some games. There are just a few negative things that are making it so we can't win those games.

"If we tighten those up there's absolutely nothing stopping us. If we just keep working on those things and get all the fine details down and buying into what the coaches are telling us, it's all going to work out. It's just a rough patch here."

In their most recent outing, a 4-3 loss Tuesday to the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes, the Rebels were probably the better team at even strength, but gave up three power play goals.

It was two steps forward, one step back.

"That's what I mean. There was a lot of positives last game, if we had played five-on-five the whole game obviously there would have been a different outcome," said Barteaux.

"If we can just limit our penalties or even just get better on the penalty kill, get it to where it needs to be, we're going to be fine. We're not worried."

Although it was a small sample with their season a mere seven games old, the Rebels sported the WHL's No. 1 penalty kill two weeks ago. Over the last five outings, it has slipped to 15th.

"It was working for us earlier but our five-on-five play and power play were not," said Barteaux. "Then it kind of switched around.

"I think we got too comfortable with it and we weren't pressuring enough, as much as we should have been. If we can get back to pressuring and making power plays uncomfortable for the other team, I think we will get right back up there."

A lack of aggression has hampered the PK in recent games, as Barteaux suggested, and too many point and high slot shots are getting through.

"Another big part of killing penalties is blocking shots," said the captain. "We have to learn to be disciplined with that. That's what it takes to be a good team with a good penalty kill."

The Rebels host the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday and the players will go head to head against any combination of three former teammates, perhaps even all three.

Forward Alex Morozoff and defencemen Hunter Donohoe and Ryan Gottfried were traded to the T-Birds earlier in the season. Morozoff has scored once in nine games with his new team, while Donohoe and Gottfried have each picked up a single assist in eight games.

"It will be nice to see them but it's another game and obviously we want to win every game that we can," said Barteaux. "It's a big one tomorrow for us to try and get out of this funk and get a little roll going before we head out on a big trip. It's an important game for sure."

The Rebels will head out late next week on a six-game, nine-day trip starting Nov. 1 in Moose Jaw.

Rebels vs. Seattle Thunderbirds

Friday, 7 p.m., Centrium

The Thunderbirds own a 3-4-2-1 record and occupy fifth place in the US Division and ninth spot in the Western Conference . . . A pair of imports lead the T-Birds in scoring as overage RW Andrej Kukuca of Slovakia has contributed four goals and 10 points and D Simon Kubicek of the Czech Republic has recorded two goals and eight points. C Matthew Wedman, a seventh-round pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2019 NHL entry draft, is next with six points (3g,3a) in eight games . . . RW Henry Rybinski and G Roddy Ross were also picked in this year's NHL draft, by Florida (fifth round) and the Philadelphia Flyers (sixth round) respectively . . . Ross, who attended the Rebels rookie camp in 2016, is in his second season with Seattle and has a 3-3-2 record with a goals-against of 3.00 and save percentage of .914.

Injuries: Seattle - D Cade McNelly (upper body, indefinite), LW Tyler Carpendale (upper body, indefinite), RW Mekai Sanders (lower body, indefinite), C Matthew Rempe (lower body, week-to-week). Red Deer - LW Jace Isley (upper body, week-to-week).

Special teams: Seattle - Power play 17.8 per cent, 15th overall; penalty kill 71.4 per cent, 20th. Red Deer - Power play 18.5 per cent, 12th overall; penalty kill 78.2 per cent, 15th.

Check out the Red Deer Rebels Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 24, 2019


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