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WHL Red Deer Rebels

Rebels, Hitmen to Make History

March 31, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


The Red Deer Rebels and Calgary Hitmen will become part of history Friday and possibly Monday.

With the Saddledome being prepared to host the Juno Awards Sunday, the Rebels and Hitmen will hook up in a Western Hockey League playoff game Friday at the Stampede Corral and could also meet Monday at the historic facility.

The Corral is slated for demolition in the near future, meaning the WHL post-season contests(s) will be the final hockey game(s) to be played at the venerable structure, which opened in December of 1950.

'It's going to be good, just for the fact that probably the last hockey that will be played in the building will be in this series," Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter said Thursday, prior to departing for Calgary.

Sutter has played in the Corral, although not for roughly 35 years. He skated with the Lethbridge Broncos when the Calgary Wranglers played out of the facility and then later as a member of the New York Islanders when the Flames called the Corral their home.

"I played my first NHL game there, when I was 18 and got called up for three games (during the 1980-81 season)," said Sutter. "The Flames played at the Corral for two years (before moving into the Saddledome)."

The Corral was also home to the Calgary Cowboys of the old World Hockey Association for two seasons starting in 1975 and was the temporary home of the Hitmen for the club's inaugural WHL campaign of 1995-96.

The facility has a seating capacity of 6,450 and every one of the chairs will be filled Friday. The atmosphere will almost certainly be electric and should provide both clubs with a boost of energy.

"But it doesn't matter where you play these games, you have to go in and play well," said Sutter, who had his charges on the Corral ice for a practice session Thursday afternoon.

Despite the fact his club holds a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final, the Rebels boss believes his troops can deliver more than they've shown to date in the series.

"We can still play better, we still have individuals who can play better," he insisted. "Our top players still have to play better.

"Game 3 (a come-from-behind 4-3 win last Sunday at the Saddledome) was the best game we played out of the three, yet we have to be better than that. We have to continue to grow in the series."

Sutter was impressed with the fact his club rallied from a 2-0 deficit Sunday to pull out the win on a late goal from Evan Polei, however . . .

"There are areas in our game that have to improve," he stated. "We have to continue to get better with our discipline.

"It's been a battle, a very tough, evenly-matched series. We can't drop your guard at all. As a group and as individuals, we have to stay aware of what's going on and make sure that we take care of our business.

"We need to have some guys play better. We need to bring our 'A' game on a more consistent basis."

The fifth game of the series is slated for Saturday at the Centrium and sixth and seventh games, if needed, will go Monday at the Corral and Wednesday in Red Deer.

° Netminder Rylan Toth, who's been out since mid-February with a lower-body injury, is back on the ice but has yet to practise with his teammates.

"Hopefully he'll be back soon, but I don't think it's going to be this series," said Sutter.

Trevor Martin will continue to guard the Red Deer net until Toth returns, and perhaps beyond.

"Marty has to continue to battle," said Sutter. "He's given us a chance (to win) every game and that's all you can ask for."

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