WHL Red Deer Rebels

Slow Start Proves Costly to Rebels in Loss to Host Tigers

October 25, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


MEDICINE HAT - The Red Deer Rebels looked like they had bus legs in the first period of a WHL contest Tuesday, in turn making the Medicine Hat Tigers look like greyhounds.

The Tigers raced out to a 2-0 first-period lead and the Rebels never fully recovered, eventually falling 4-1 before 2,601 fans at the Canalta Centre.

"We were slow to start because we weren't focused," said Rebels assistant coach Brad Flynn. "We spent a lot of time focusing on things that were out of our control. We let them get under our skin and the referees get under our skin as well."

Defenceman Cole Clayton opened the scoring at the eight-minute mark with a shot from the top of the right circle that squeezed between the pads of Red Deer rookie netminder Byron Fancy.

Tyler Preziuso notched what proved to be the winning goal eight minutes later on a goalmouth tip-in with the Tigers on the power play.

James Hamblin added another man-advantage marker early in the second period, beating Fancy from the left circle, and while the Rebels more than held their own the rest of the way, often carrying the play, the deficit was too much to overcome.

"We had flashes of what we've been from the start of the year, but not enough," said Flynn. "And this league is too good not to bring your best every night."

The Rebels got on the board with a power-play tally of their own late in the middle period, as Jeff de Wit, from the edge of the crease, redirected a feed from Brandon Hagel past goaltender Mats Sogaard.

"Once we got focused we showed up in spurts, but then we were easily agitated," said Flynn.

The Tigers put the game out of reach with yet another power-play goal early in the third period, Bryan Lockner scoring on the front half of a two-man advantage.

The second call, a boarding penalty to Reese Johnson made just over a minute after Zak Smith was sent off for tripping, was clearly unnecessary.

"That was a soft call," Flynn affirmed. "Then right after we were on the power play and Hagel gets tripped.

"But we say it all the time, the game is fair and when you play it the right way and you work hard and stick to your game plan, good things usually happen.

"When you stray from it that's when unfortunate bounces happen. When you try to cheat the game, and I think there was a few times tonight when we tried to cheat the game, you end up with what we ended up with."

Sogaard turned aside 30 shots in a stellar outing and was named first star of the game, followed by Hamblin and Lockner.

Fancy made 23 saves in just his second start of the season.

"I thought he gave us an opportunity for sure," said Flynn. "They scored four goals and three of them were on special teams.

"He'd probably like to have the first one back, but I wouldn't hang this one on him."

Notable: After being outshot 10-4 in the opening period, the Rebels held shot advantages of 13-9 and 14-8 in the second and third frames . . . The regulation-time loss was just the second for the Rebels in their last 11 games and left them with an 8-4-1-0 record. Red Deer, which still sits first in the Central Division, two points up on Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, will host the Saskatoon Blades Friday before heading to Cranbrook Saturday for a Sunday afternoon date with the Kootenay Ice . . . Flynn ran the Rebels bench the last two games in the absence of GM/head coach Brent Sutter, currently on a 'father-son' excursion with the Vancouver Canucks. Former Rebel Brandon Sutter is a fourth-year centre with the Canucks.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 25, 2018


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