Rebels focused on task at hand in battling Blades
By DANNY RODE
Indeed the ‘R’ word has been mentioned as the Red Deer Rebels prepare to battle the authors of their most recent playoff heartbreak.
Losing to the Saskatoon Blades in last year’s second round of the WHL Playoffs after being up 3-0 in the best-of-seven series can’t help but be on the Rebels’ minds as the two clubs meet again starting Friday.
“It’s something we definitely haven’t forgot,” Rebels captain Kai Uchacz admitted Wednesday.
“Coming into (training) camp this year, it was something in the back of our minds. We’ve talked about it, and it’s something for the guys returning we want back and it’s our second chance and revenge for us.”
Rebels head coach Dave Struch feels the team can use that attitude by the veterans to have success.
“We can use our experience from last year,” he said. “There’s something to be said about us using that to help us along the way.”
Revenge can certainly be a source of motivation for the Rebels, but they can’t let it be the only thing on their minds.
“We have to focus on what we do the best, how we play and how we prepare for the series,” Uchacz added.
“We’re going in with the same mind set we had in the first round (against the Medicine Hat Tigers) and the same game plan. We take the right mind set into game one and throughout the series.”
Struch added that the Rebels preparation during this week has been focusing on their game and what the club learned from the first round versus Medicine Hat.
“That wasn’t a perfect series. We needed to get better, and we did every game. We need to take that experience, the challenges we faced and the adversities we went though and use it against Saskatoon.”
When the Rebels had their best success in their 4-1 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers, it came when they got off to strong starts in the first period.
“That’s important,” stressed Uchacz. “We had meetings this week about starting on time. That’s something that translates into a full 60 minutes.”
The Blades will clearly be a tough test after the veteran-loaded club finished first overall in WHL this season with 105 points.
“They have a similar team to Medicine Hat with a skilled forward group, but they are older with more experience, we know that from last year,” said Uchacz. “They have experience in the playoffs and want to go deep in the playoffs, but the same with us.”
Struch, a former Blades player and coach himself, agrees.
“They are one of the top teams in Canada. They built a highly skilled, competitive, challenging team over the course of time. They did a good job of building a group which had a couple of successful years.
“They’re older than the last team we played, so the experience they collected over the last couple of years will help them along the way and we have to be up for the challenge.”
After a pair of narrow losses to the Blades in the first half of the season, the Rebels did beat the Blades twice after the January trade deadline, winning 5-4 at home Jan. 17 and 5-0 in Saskatoon Feb. 27.
Struch believes the wins will only benefit the team.
“Absolutely. I watched both games on video and felt our team played really well, and I know we can use some of that to prepare.”
Wutzke, who posted a solid 2.59 goals-against-average and .922 save percentage in five starts versus Medicine Hat in round one, agrees.
“For sure they will help as we had success playing the right way.”
His spectacular performance in the shutout win also helps.
“It helps with the confidence,” he stressed. “But I take every game one at a time, but obviously it will help.”
This series marks a homecoming of sorts for the rookie Rebels netminder, who was born and played minor hockey in Debden, Sask., and played two years of U18AAA with the Saskatoon Contacts.
“Going home will be awesome to see family and friends and a lot of people,” he said.
Wutzke played a lot late in the season when Rhett Stoesser was injured and even when he returned.
“Playing a lot toward the end of the season was awesome and really helped my confidence,” he concluded.
Struch believes in the six-foot-two 17-year-old.
“He played great for us, giving us a chance every game. He didn’t waver. He made all the big saves at good times.
“We can’t kid ourselves they (Tigers) had a team that carried the momentum at crucial times, and he did a great job of holding the fort for us.”
ICE CHIPS – The series opens Friday at 7 p.m. with an extra day until game two goes Sunday at 4 p.m. … The series returns to Red Deer for games at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday … If additional games are needed they go April 19, 21 and 23 … The Rebels penalty kill was brilliant against Medicine Hat’s outstanding power play and allowed just one goal on 20 shorthanded situations for a 95 percent success rate, tops in the playoffs … Saskatoon’s penalty kill is 15th at 70.6 per cent … The Blades power play sits at 25 percent (6-for-24) while Red Deer’s is 22.7 per cent (five-for-22) … Kalan Lind leads the Rebels in scoring with six points on two goals and four assists … Uchacz (2-3) and Carson Latimer (4-1) have five points each … 20-year-old American Easton Armstrong tops the Blades with (5-3) eight points with 20-year-old Trevor Wong second at (2-5) seven … Saskatoon goaltender Evan Gardner has a 1.80 GAA and a .923 save percentage.