Rebels drop regular season finale in Edmonton
By DANNY RODE
EDMONTON – It may be a good thing the Red Deer Rebels aren’t facing the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL playoffs.
The Oil Kings had the Rebels number of late, winning their final four meetings of the season, including a 6-3 victory before 17,720 fans at Rogers Place Sunday.
The win completed a weekend sweep for the Edmonton squad, who downed the Rebels 7-3 Saturday at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
“Take nothing away from them, they have a good team, but they had nothing to lose. They played loose in the two games this weekend and it makes things a little easier for them,” said Rebels head coach Dave Struch.
“We were chocking the sticks a little too much … trying to do a little too much as we’re trying to prepare for the playoffs next weekend. But now we can move on.”
The Rebels can now switch their attention fully to the Medicine Hat Tigers, who they face in the best-of-seven opening round of the playoffs, beginning Friday in the southern Alberta city.
The Red Deer crew did impress in the final period Sunday, outshooting the Oil Kings 7-3 and outscoring them 2-1. The Edmonton goal came into an empty net by Marc Lajoie at 19:10.
Jhett Larson scored on a nifty play at 1:19 of the final period for the Rebels, when he out-waited Edmonton goaltender Kolby Hay and tucked it home. Ollie Josephson made the score 5-3 at 17:33 rifling a shot high over Hay while on the power play. The Rebels were on a five-minute power play when Asmail Abougoiche was slapped with a charging penalty for a brutal blindside hit to the head of Rebels rookie Jeramiah Roberts, who was helped from the ice.
“The guys are obviously glad that it (the season) is over and heading into the playoffs. We ended it on a good note in the third period. There was no quit and the guys played hard.
“The first period felt the same. We played well, but they capitalized on their chances.”
Edmonton led 2-1 after 20 minutes. Skyler Bruce opened the scoring on Edmonton’s first shot, snapping a quick shot to the glove side of Red Deer starting netminder Rhett Stoesser at 3:23.
Kai Uchacz scored his 42nd at the eight minute mark on a feed from Dwayne Jean Jr, but Lajoie put the Oil Kings ahead for good with a back-door tip-in at 17:34.
Edmonton tallied three times in the middle stanza, despite being outshot 11-6.
“We had chances, but we have to bear down and convert them,” added Struch. “We work hard to make it tough to play against and now that we have that and are creating opportunities.
“Now that we see the improvements in our game, playing a 200-foot game and checking the right way we’re creating lots of offence but having a tough time scoring,” Struch explained.
“We hope the way we play as a team we can create more offence throughout the lineup, especially in the playoffs,” said Struch.
Marshall Finnie, with his 21st, at the six minute mark, on a deflection, Roan Woodward at 9:50 and Gavin Hodnett, on a shorthanded breakaway at 19:21, scored in the second period for Edmonton.
The Rebels were without defencemen Elias Carmichael and Matteo Fabrizi, along with forwards Frantisek Formanek and Carson Birnie for Sunday’s game.
ICE CHIPS – Stoesser finished with 10 saves on 15 shots over two periods … Chase Wutzke came on and stopped both shots he saw in the third … Hay made 25 saves … Roberts appears to be okay following the illegal hit from Abougouche, according to Struch … The Oil Kings three graduating players – Lajoie, Ty Nash and Bruce – were the three stars … Uchacz finished the season winning the most face-offs in the league (894) … It’s the first time since 2015 that the Rebels face the Tigers in the playoffs … They play Friday and Saturday in Medicine Hat and return home April 2 and 3 … Rebels will watch video and have a team meeting Monday before returning to the ice Tuesday.