New-look Rebels grind out home win over Seattle
RED DEER – After making three separate trades on Friday, the Red Deer Rebels entered Saturday with a new-look lineup against the Seattle Thunderbirds for their lone meeting of the season.
The new faces made an immediate impact as three of the Rebels’ five goals were scored by players acquired since Christmas in a 5-3 win over the Thunderbirds to halt the club’s nine-game losing streak.
The Rebels earned their first win in a month and their first over Seattle since 2015. They also pull within a point of a playoff spot with now 26 points on the season.
STATS STORY:
Matej Mikes (RD) – 1 goal, 1 assist
Brock England (SEA) – 1 goal, 1 assist
Peyton Shore RD – 33 saves, win
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Red Deer native Brock England opened the scoring for the Thunderbirds as he deposited a cross-ice pass into an open net past Rebels netminder Peyton Shore just 26 seconds into the game.
Matej Mikes responded five minutes later for the Rebels as he knocked home a rebound from Grayden Peterson’s shot for his fourth of the campaign to tie the game at 1-1.
Kalder Varga introduced himself to the Red Deer faithful in electrifying style as he gathered the puck in his own end, made a move past a Thunderbird defenceman at the blue line and wired home a shot to put the Rebels up 2-1 with 7:48 to play in the first.
Seattle tied it four minutes into the second period when Brendan Rudolph to tucked a centering pass from England past Shore.
Poul Andersen put the Rebels up a goal once again as he snapped home his 13th of the season on a power play to make it 3-2 with seven minutes to play in the second period.
Seattle tied it again it early in the third period as Marcus Laraque tapped a rebound past Shore just 1:22 into the final frame.
Noah Chadi scored his first in the WHL to put the Rebels back up 4-3, as his left point shot took a deflection in front and found the back of the net.
Talon Brigley gave the Rebels some insurance when he deposited the puck into an empty net with 1:31 to play to seal a 5-3 win.
Seattle outshot Red Deer 36-24 and went 0-for-3 on power plays while the Rebels were 1-for-4.
The Rebels improve to 11-20-2-2 on the season. They trail Regina by one point for 8th in the Eastern Conference with one game at-hand on the Pats.
BRANDT THREE STARS:
Matej Mikes (RD)
Brock England (SEA)
Kalder Varga (RD)
WHAT THEY SAID:
Head Coach Marc Habscheid
Captain Talon Brigley
NOTES:
Rebels scratches for the game included Nikolas Ferry, Samuel Drancak (World Juniors), Beckett Hamilton (illness), and Owen Shadrick … Brigley played his 297th regular season game to tie Andrew Bergen for second on the club’s all-time list … former Rebels centre Matthew Gard did not play for Seattle in this one … attendance at the Marchant Crane Centrium was 4138 … Red Deer earned its first win over Seattle since Nov. 3, 2015 to end a seven-game losing streak versus the Thunderbirds.
NEXT UP:
The Rebels head to Manitoba this week, visiting the Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday. That one goes at 6 p.m. MT, and can be found live on 106.7 Rewind Radio and on Victory+.
(Xander Holcomb)
