Rebels Battle Hard, Grind out 2-1 Win at Prince Albert
February 5, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask - The Red Deer Rebels have shown all season they know how to play on the road.
They demonstrated that once again Friday running their WHL road record to 16-5-2 with a solid 2-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders before 2,144 spectators at the Art Hauser Centre.
"I thought for the most part the guys played hard from the start," said Rebels head coach Steve Konowalchuk. "It was a tight game, which we figured it would be. They play a tight game, and I liked the way we were willing to grind it out, were patient with the puck and were reliable on defence."
Obviously Konowalchuk would have liked a couple more goals but was willing to take the victory as it was.
"Another one or two would have been nice, but it was a tough game ... they played hard and so did we."
The game could have been won in the first period thanks to the Rebels penalty kill and goaltender Chase Coward.
The Rebels were shorthanded 6:41 of the initial 20 minutes, the majority of which came following a major penalty to Jace Isley for boarding at 15:19.
"The penalty killing in the first period was huge," agreed Konowalchuk. "We give up one there and then we're chasing the game which makes it that much harder and gives the other team life. Plus, it could have been two or more so getting out of the first period tied 0-0 was like a victory."
Coward made 12 of his 23 saves in the opening frame.
"He looked comfortable from the start and made a couple big saves when we needed them," said Konowalchuk.
One of his best saves came early in the third period when he robbed Sloan Stanick, who let a one-timer go from the face-off dot.
The Rebels got both their goals in the second period.
Hunter Mayo connected against Raiders netminder Tikhon Chaika on a screened wrist shot from the right point to open the scoring at 11:34.
Ben King notched his league-leading 34th goal of the season and eighth game winner at 15:23, taking a nice feed from Dallon Melin on a three-on-one and beating Chaika with a wrist shot low to the blocker side.
The Raiders made a game of it when San Jose first-round draft pick, Ozzy Wiesblatt one-timed a shot from the low slot past Coward while on the power play at 17:58.
Red Deer outshot the Raiders 15-5 in the second period while the teams split 14 shots in the third.
The Rebels finished zero-for-two on the power play but looked as if they got the short end of a call in the third period when Melin took a high hit. However, Konowalchuk credited his team for shaking it off.
"It was a well-deserved road win with everyone chipping in. We lost a guy early and other guys stepped up with more ice time and played a smart game and kept their emotions in control.
"You can't get distracted... at the end of the day you play through that, and the guys did just that."
The win was certainly different than their first two meetings between the clubs. The Rebels won 8-6 at Prince Albert in December and lost 7-3 at the Peavey Mart Centrium last month.
"That first game we were as flat as we've been all season while the second we played with two rookie goaltenders," said Konowalchuk, whose squad was missing both regular goaltenders at the time.
"We didn't talk about that ... we focused on our game, the way we want to play most of the time."
Rebels finished with 29 shots on Chaika, who was named the game's third star.
Wiesblatt was second star and King first.
The Rebels moved a step closer to the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Central Division with the win. The Oil Kings lost 6-1 in Saskatoon to the Blades, who the Rebels meet Saturday in Saskatoon (6 p.m. MT on 106.7 REWIND Radio).
The Rebels have a 28-13-2-1 record for 59 points, four back of Edmonton (30-11-2-1).
The Rebels finish their three-game in five-day road trip Tuesday in Brandon. The game was moved from Monday in order to allow fans to attend as Manitoba loosens provincial COVID-related health measures.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 5, 2022
- Rockets Win Eighth Straight - Kelowna Rockets
- Sanders Strikes Twice, But Raiders Fall To Oil Kings - Prince Albert Raiders
- MacInnes, Silvertips Blank Prince George Cougars 6-0 at Home - Everett Silvertips
- Bains, Rebels Cool of Blades in 6-1 Win - Saskatoon Blades
- Oil Kings Power Their Way to Victory in Prince Albert - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Game Day Hub: February 5 at SPO - Portland Winterhawks
- Americans Host Rockets for First Meeting in Two Years - Tri-City Americans
- Chiefs Look to Bounce Back Saturday against Portland Winterhawks - Spokane Chiefs
- Gameday Preview - February 5 vs Moose Jaw - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Blades Hunt Third Straight Win, Welcome Rebels in CMHA Night - Saskatoon Blades
- Americans Unable to Break Past Gauthier, Fall to Winterhawks - Tri-City Americans
- Silvertips Extend Win Steak to Seven Games with 4-2 Home Win over Victoria - Everett Silvertips
- Thunderbirds Declaw Prince George - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Rebels Battle Hard, Grind out 2-1 Win at Prince Albert - Red Deer Rebels
- Giants Drop a 3-2 Nail-Biter at Home Friday to Kamloops - Vancouver Giants
- Cougars Fall to Seattle - Prince George Cougars
- Broncos Drop Tight 3-1 Game to Hurricanes - Swift Current Broncos
- Rockets Win at Spokane - Kelowna Rockets
- Strong Start Not Enough for Royals in 4-2 Loss to Silvertips - Victoria Royals
- Rockets Pull Away in Third for 4-1 Win over Chiefs - Spokane Chiefs
- Hawks Post Second Straight Shutout, Stretch Point Streak to 15 - Portland Winterhawks
- Pats Lose Heartbreaker After Canes Score in Final Seconds - Regina Pats
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