Rebels battle hard but suffer more shootout heartbreak in Portland
By Xander Holcomb – A win south of the border remains agonizingly elusive for the Red Deer Rebels.
A Friday night visit with the Winterhawks in Portland ended with the Rebels taking a 3-2 shootout loss for the second-straight game to sit at 0-3-0-2 in their U.S. trip.
They wrap up their six-game, nine-night journey Saturday in Spokane.
STATS STORY:
Rhett Stoesser (RD) – 40 saves
Steven Steranka (RD) – 1G
Derek Thurston (RD) – 1G (1st in WHL)
Kyle Chyzowski (POR) – 1G
Tyson Jugnauth (POR) – Shootout winner
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Rebels defenceman Derek Thurston opened the scoring at 3:56 of the first period with his first career WHL goal. A faceoff win from Samuel Drancak came back to the left point, where Thurston snapped one into the top left corner, beating Winterhawks netminder Ondrej Štěbeták.
A 🎯 for goal #1! pic.twitter.com/kgdP3l58rH
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 16, 2024
WinterhawkS forward Carsyn Dyck was the beneficiary of a turnover in the neutral zone, and then walked down the left wing before snapping a shot past the blocker of Rebels goaltender Rhett Stoesser to tie it 1-1, just past the midway point of the opening period.
Two minutes into the second period, Rebels forward Steven Steranka registered his second of the season to make it 2-1 after a Portland defenceman deflected a cross-crease pass from the corner past his own goaltender.
Brought out the protractor! pic.twitter.com/qQkc9K4Ur1
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 16, 2024
4:44 into the third period Kyle Chyzowski beat Stoesser to the glove side with a one-time shot that found the top corner. The only tally of the third period tied the game up at 2-2.
Rhett Stoesser stood tall in the third when the Rebels got themselves into some penalty trouble, forcing an overtime period for a second straight game.
Carson Birnie had the best scoring chance of overtime when his shot from the slot deflected off of a Portland defender and through Stebenak, but hit the post and stayed out.
Red Deer went 0-for-2 in the shootout (Steranka, Gard) while Portland went 2-for-3 (Chyzowski stopped, Jugnauth and Buttazoni scored).
Portland outshot Red Deer 43-27 while both teams were 0-for-5 on the power play.
Three Stars:
1 – Carsyn Dyck (POR)
2 – Rhett Stoesser (RD)
3 – Kyle Chyzowski (POR)
WHAT THEY SAID:
Head coach Dave Struch on tonight’s game…
Coach Struch on tonight’s shootout defeat in Portland #RDREBELS I #WHL pic.twitter.com/EkS6iw1FeE
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 16, 2024
Next up:
The Rebels wrap up the U.S. trip Saturday night with a visit to the Spokane Chiefs. (7 p.m. MT on 106.7 REWIND Radio and CHL TV).