Away to the U.S.A.
It’s an exciting time that only comes around once every other season.
The Red Deer Rebels head south of the border for the first time since February 2023 to take on their foes from the WHL’s U.S. Division.
It’ll be a busier trip time around with there now being six teams in the U.S. Division. The Rebels will actually start their roadie with their first-ever visit to Wenatchee to battle the Wild. Last season, the Wild visited the Peavey Mart Centrium for the first meeting of the two clubs following the Wild’s relocation from Winnipeg.
Right after Friday’s game in Wenatchee, the Rebels head over to Kennewick for a Saturday night tilt versus the red-hot Tri-City Americans, who have won nine games in a row heading into the weekend.
The Rebels will travel to Everett on Sunday ahead of a Remembrance Day (Veterans Day) game versus the Silvertips, the #5 ranked team in the CHL, Monday evening.
The following night, the Rebels take to the ice in Kent versus the Seattle Thunderbirds. Following the game, the boys make their way to Portland for a mid-trip break. They’ll battle the Winterhawks Friday, November 15 and wrap up the trip Saturday, November 16 versus the Spokane Chiefs. The Rebels bus will then make it’s way home and arrive back in Red Deer on Sunday.
All games on the U.S. road trip will start at 8 p.m. Alberta time. Each broadcast is available exclusively through 106.7 REWIND Radio and CHL TV.
Here is a look back at the last time the Rebels embarked on the U.S. Division road trip…
Sat. Feb. 4, 2023 – Ben King scored the lone goal of the shootout, and the game, as the Rebels kicked off their U.S. Division road trip with a 1-0 win over the Spokane Chiefs. Dawson Cowan was superb for Spokane in making 45 saves. Kyle Kelsey earned his second shutout of the season for Red Deer with a 26-save performance. Red Deer was 0-for-2 on the power play while Spokane was 0-for-3.
Sun. Feb. 5 – Frantisek Formanek and Ben King each scored once as the Rebels fell 4-2 to the Everett Silvertips at the Angel of the Winds Arena. Rhett Stoesser made 33 saves for Red Deer as the Silvertips outshot the Rebels 37-24. Red Deer was 1-for-2 on the power play while Everett was 1-for-4.
Tue. Feb. 7 – Ben King scored twice on the power play and added the shootout winner to give the Rebels a 5-4 win over the Portland Winterhawks at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Jace Isley scored his league leading sixth shorthanded goal of the year. Craig Armstrong also scored in period two for the Rebels while Kai Uchacz also scored in the shootout. Kyle Kelsey picked up the win between the pipes. Portland outshot Red Deer 39-33 on the night and was 1-for-3 on the power play while Red Deer was 2-for-4.
Fri. Feb. 10 – The Seattle Thunderbirds pulled away late in the third period for a 6-1 win over the Rebels at accesso Showare Centre in Kent. It was a goalless game through two periods until Seattle opened the scoring in the third. Kai Uchacz tied it for Red Deer 96 seconds later before the Thunderbirds scored five times unanswered. Seattle outshot Red Deer 42-25 and was 1-for-6 on the power play while the Rebels were 1-for-3.
Sat. Feb. 11 – Frantisek Formanek scored the game winner in round of the shootout as the Rebels finished their five-game U.S. Division road trip with a 2-1 win over the Tri-City Americans at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, WA. Jace Isley scored his league leading seventh shorthanded goal for the Rebels in the opening minute of period two. Rhett Stoesser was superb between the pipes and made 26 saves for the win. Red Deer outshot Tri-City 35-27 and was 0-for-5 on the power play while the Americans were 0-for-2.
