Penalties, turnovers cost Rebels in loss at Wenatchee
By Xander Holcomb – The Red Deer Rebels opened their U.S. road trip with their first-ever stop in Wenatchee, as they visited the Wild on Friday night.
Wenatchee scored early and never took their foot off the gas. A pair of goals in both the first and second periods were more than enough to outmatch the Rebels in a 5-2 Wild win.
Beckett Hamilton and Carson Birnie scored for Red Deer, but it was Daniel Hauser who stood tall in the Wenatchee crease, stopping 33 of the 35 shots put towards him.
STATS STORY:
Evan Friesen (WEN) – 1G, 1A
Daniel Hauser (WEN) – 33/35 saves, W, 1A
Eastyn Mannix (WEN) – 1G (game winner)
Ollie Josephson (RDR) – 1A, 4 SOG
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Wenatchee struck first on a powerplay midway through the opening period. Wild forward Kenta Isogai capitalized on a scramble play in front of Rebels netminder Chase Wutzke, sliding the puck home for his eighth of the year.
The Wild doubled their lead late in the period as Maddix McCagherty beat Wutzke on a breakaway for a 2-0 game through 20.
Beckett Hamilton got the Rebels on the board early in the second period with his third tally of the season. Just after a Rebels powerplay came to an end, Hamilton made a move high, and snapped a shot past Wild goaltender Daniel Hauser.
Hamilton showing off his moves! pic.twitter.com/7i2dbx0fsl
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 9, 2024
Just over a minute later, however, the Wild restored their two-goal lead as Eastyn Mannix scored his first of the year, beating Wutzke with a snapshot off the rush.
A shorthanded two-on-one for the Wild pushed the lead to 4-1, as captain Evan Friesen deposited his own rebound late in the second period.
Carson Birnie registered his sixth goal of the campaign early in period three to bring the Rebels back within two as he ripped a one-timer pass from captain Ollie Josephson from the near-side faceoff circle over the shoulder of Hauser.
One-timer 🚀 pic.twitter.com/a8hR7kQo29
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 9, 2024
Caelan Joudrey put the game to bed with 1:10 left, as he scored the empty-netter for Wenatchee.
Wenatchee outshot Red Deer 38-34 and was 1-for-6 on the power play while the Rebels were 0-for-4.
THREE STARS:
1 – Evan Friesen (WEN) – 1G, 1A
2 – Daniel Hauser (WEN) – 33/35 saves, W, 1A
3 – Eastyn Mannix (WEN) – 1G
WHAT THEY SAID:
Hear Rebels head coach Dave Struch’s thoughts about the Rebels’ first game on the U.S. trip…
Coach Struch on tonight’s loss in Wenatchee #RDREBELS | #WHL pic.twitter.com/7jQVbjWw3r
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 9, 2024
NEXT UP:
The Rebels continue their road trip with a stop in Kennewick, WA, to face the Tri-City Americans. Puck drop goes at 7:05 MT (106.7 REWIND Radio, CHL TV).
