Rebels fall just short in pre-season loss to Edmonton
Oil Kings 4 Rebels 3
Too little, too late.
The Red Deer Rebels applied some major pressure with time ticking down but couldn’t find the goal that would have pulled them even with the Edmonton Oil Kings Sunday afternoon at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
As a result, the Rebels dropped a 4-3 decision in a WHL preseason contest witnessed by roughly 1,500 fans.
Veteran forward Jhett Larson pulled the Rebels to within a goal with a power play marker with 1:59 remaining, beating netminder Kolby Hay with a low shot from the right circle with Red Deer goaltender Chase Wutzke on the bench.
Wutzke remained on the bench as the Rebels pushed for another goal over the final two minutes but came up just short.
“That’s the problem — we waited until the end to play with some urgency and some pace,” said Rebels head coach Derrick Walser, who liked his club’s first-period performance but not much else.
“I thought we had an OK first,” he said, looking back at the opening 20 minutes in which the hosts staked themselves to a 2-1 lead on goals from Quentin Bourne, on a point shot that appeared to be deflected, and Dwayne Jean Jr.’s second of the preseason on a rising shot following a scrum along the right boards.
Marshall Finnie replied for the visitors, sneaking the puck past netminder Kyle Kelsey from a goalmouth scramble.
The Oil Kings then scored three unanswered second-period goals before surrendering Larson’s late goal and hanging on for the victory.
“I thought Edmonton did a good job of sticking to what they were trying to do,” said Walser. “They stuck to their game plan better than us.”
Cole Miller notched his first of two goals for the Oil Kings at 9:27 of the second period with a laser from the low slot, and Mason Finley scored on a short-handed breakaway just under six minutes later, beating Chase Wutzke with a high shot following a turnover at the Edmonton blueline.
Miller rounded out Edmonton’s second-period eruption with a power play tally in the final minute, connecting on a one-timer from the left circle.
Both clubs were one-for-five on the power play.
“Realistically, I thought we gifted them four goals. We deserved to take the penalties we did,” said Walser. “Penalties kill you, simple as that.
“But honestly I thought Edmonton stuck to their game plan and deserved to win today. They stuck to their plan from the first to the third period.”
The Oil Kings dressed 12 rookies, one more than the Rebels, who dominated their rebuilding Alberta foes last season.
Kelsey stopped 10 of 12 shots through roughly the first half of the contest before Wutzke entered and made seven saves on nine shots.
Hay turned aside 14 of 15 shots for the Oil Kings through 40 minutes, with Logan Cunningham stopping 12 of 14.
“We had enough veterans in the lineup today that looked at Edmonton and went ‘oh, their record wasn’t very good last year’”, said Walser. “It was a little bit of disrespect.
“That’s the first thing I addressed in the room. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night. You can’t take nights off and some of our guys did tonight.”
Just notes: The Rebels evened their preseason record at 1-1 after downing the host Calgary Hitmen 5-4 in overtime Friday night . . . Five Rebels — Kalan Lind (Nashville), Mats Lindgren (Buffalo), Carson Latimer (Minnesota), Hunter Mayo (Los Angeles) and Matteo Fabrizi (Las Vegas) — will head to NHL rookie camps this week. Jayden Grubbe, the Rebels captain each of the last three seasons will attend the Edmonton Oilers rookie camp but is a signed player and isn’t expected to be back with the club. “I told them I hope they don’t see us again. You go to an NHL camp to make it,” said Walser. “The reality is that’s not going to happen but I always say to players, ‘I hope you make it and don’t see us again. I just wish them the best of luck.’” . . . The Rebels wrap up their exhibition schedule next weekend with a home game against the Calgary Hitmen Friday and a Saturday contest versus the host Lethbridge Hurricanes . . . Red Deer’s regular season opener is Sept. 22 versus Edmonton at the Centrium.
