Sports stats



WHL Red Deer Rebels

Rookies Get Valuable Ice Time as Rebels End Season with Loss to Ice

March 18, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


CRANBROOK - Perhaps it was predictable.

With their top three forwards and scorers - Mason McCarty, Brandon Hagel and Kristian Reichel - out of the lineup as healthy scratches, the Red Deer Rebels mustered only 19 shots on goal through their final WHL regular-season contest Saturday.

Kootenay Ice netminder Duncan McGovern handled all 19 in a 5-0 victory over the visiting Rebels at Western Financial Place.

"I thought a lot of our young kids struggled tonight playing more minutes and playing against the other team's top players," said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter, following what was a meaningless contest for playoff-bound Red Deer as well as the Ice, who won't participate in the post-season.

With their top line back in Red Deer resting for the playoffs, the Rebels' roster featured 10 forwards aged 15 to 17, three of whom formed the club's top unit in Friday's 6-2 home-ice loss to Kootenay.

"Last night Dougie (Chris Douglas), Cuts (Brandon Cutler) and Shelley (Austin Schellenberg) were our best line and tonight they really struggled," said Sutter. "And part of it is now all of a sudden they have to play against the other team's top line. They (Ice) got the matches tonight."

The Rebels matched their hosts stride for stride through the first period but trailed by two goals at the intermission.

Colton Veloso cashed a cross-crease feed from Alec Baer at 15:59 and Cam Hausinger converted a rebound in the final minute of the frame with Kootenay on the power play.

"It's funny, we played pretty well in the first period and we were down 2-0 because of two mistakes," said Sutter.

With the Rebels enjoying a man advantage midway through the second period, Reese Johnson was absolutely stoned by McGovern after one-timing a pinpoint feed from Grayson Pawlenchuk.

Johnson's stick then shattered as he attempted another shot on the same power play, and Ice forward Kaeden Taphorn and defenceman Dallas Hines headed the other way on a short-handed two-on-one. Taphorn, from a sharp angle, threw the puck at the net and it slipped past netminder Ethan Anders.

"After that we chased the game quite a bit and outside of that one line everyone else fought it after the first period," said Sutter. "Johny (Johnson), Pawly (Pawlenchuk) and Tarz (Josh Tarzwell) played well, that line was good for us.

"And some young kids had their moments. I thought Smitty (Zak Smith) was really good again tonight."

Johnson was robbed by McGovern a second time in the first minute of the final frame as the visitors looked to gain a spark.

"Obviously our best players weren't playing and yet we had some chances tonight," said Sutter.

Hausinger notched his second of the evening when he knocked home his own rebound near the midway point of the period and Baer closed out the scoring at 11:21, busting out of the corner, cutting across the crease and stuffing the puck past Anders.

While he would have liked Taphorn's goal back, Anders was as sharp as he was busy, finishing with 41 saves.

"I thought our 18- and 19-year-old defencemen, as well as (Dawson) Barteaux, were fine. We gave up some chances because we got out-matched on lines due to our youth," said Sutter.

The Rebels at least got through the contest without an injury.

"That's a positive and now we can get ready for the playoffs," said Sutter.

The Rebels qualified for the post-season last weekend and will face the Lethbridge Hurricanes in an Eastern Conference quarter-final starting next Friday in the southern Alberta city.

"I think that's been on the kids' minds a lot the last three to four days, since the Lethbridge game (a 5-2 win over the 'Canes Wednesday)," said Sutter. "It's been a big part of why we haven't played as well as we would have liked the last two games, because of the mindset the kids have been in."

Now it's onward and upward.

"We just have to move on," said the Rebels boss. "A lot of young kids got a chance to play this weekend and had their moments when they played fine and had their moments where they struggled.

"That's what you expect. That's all part of growing pains."

Notable: Game 2 of the best-of-seven conference quarter-final will go next Saturday at Lethbridge, with the third and fourth contests set for Tuesday and Wednesday - March 27-28 - at the Centrium. Additional games, if needed, will be played Saturday March 31 in Lethbridge, Sunday April 1 at the Centrium (6 p.m.) and Tuesday April 3 in Lethbridge.

Check out the Red Deer Rebels Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from March 18, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Red Deer Rebels Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central