WHL Red Deer Rebels

Rebels Falter in Third Period of 6-2 Road Loss to Tigers

November 29, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


MEDICINE HAT - As of late, the Red Deer Rebels are struggling with the concept that a hockey game consists of three periods.

The Rebels nearly recovered from a woeful first period in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Prince Albert Raiders Tuesday and 24 hours later wilted in the third stanza of a 6-2 setback to the host Medicine Hat Tigers before 2,584 fans at the Canalta Centre.

"We were OK for two periods, not great, but OK, and in the third there were just too many mistakes, too many turnovers," said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter, who watched his squad surrender four unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes.

"In the first 12 minutes (of the third period) we gave up three odd-man rushes and they scored two goals off them. It all started with not good enough play in the offensive zone. That created turnovers and odd man rushes against us."

As Sutter noted, the Rebels were in decent shape after two periods, heading into the final frame in a 2-2 draw on the road.

But Trevor Longo scored on a three-on-two break 1:48 into the final frame, James Hamblin connected on a somewhat fortunate rebound six minutes later and Ryan Jevne rounded out a hat-trick performance with the final two goals of the game.

Following a scoreless first period, each team struck twice in the middle stanza, with the Rebels twice recovering from a one-goal deficit.

Jevne opened the scoring at 4:39 of the middle period, taking a drop pass from Linus Nassen and beating Rebels netminder Byron Fancy with a high shot from the left circle.

Zak Smith pulled the Rebels even at 7:16 when he cut down the right side and from close range ripped a shot past Tigers goaltender Mads Sogaard. Blake Sydlowski, with his second WHL point, and defenceman Ryan Gottfried, with his first, assisted on the marker.

The Red Deer equalizer was followed by a Tigers tally a mere 63 seconds later when Ryan Chyzowski scored from the low slot, but the visitors again pulled even when Brandon Hagel's shot directly off a faceoff in the Tigers end bounced off Sogaard and then off Jeff de Wit and in.

But that was it for the Rebels, who cratered in the final 20 minutes while being outshot 21-6.

"We didn't generate as much as we wanted to. That being said, it's more about how much you take away from the other team's offensive chances," said Sutter, whose team was outshot 47-23 overall.

The loss marked a season-first three losses in succession for the Rebels.

Clearly, Sutter hasn't been impressed by his club's play on both sides of the puck.

"When you give up 17 goals in three frickin games you get what you deserve," he said. "Now our best players aren't our best players and we have other players who aren't playing to the level they have to play either."

The Rebels boss warned of a performance dip following a narrow win over the Kootenay Ice 11 days previous.

"We're not battling, not focused in how you have to play a team game the right way," he said. "This is not something that's just occurred, it's something that's been creeping into our game.

"We need some guys to wake up and get playing the way we know they can play."

Despite the loss, the Rebels were able to maintain their one-point, first-place lead over Edmonton in the Central Division when the Oil Kings fell 6-3 at home Wednesday to Prince Albert . . . The Rebels host the Calgary Hitmen and Moose Jaw Warriors Friday and Saturday before visiting the Lethbridge Hurricanes Sunday to round out a stretch of five games in six nights.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2018


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