Rebels rally late but drop shootout decision in Lethbridge
Hurricanes 2 Rebels 1 (SO)
LETHBRIDGE — When Friday’s WHL contest at the Enmax Centre went to overtime, you had to like the Red Deer Rebels’ chances of emerging with a victory.
After all, the Rebels entered the game with a glowing 10-3-0-3 record in one-goal outings this season.
However, the host Lethbridge Hurricanes had the last laugh in this one, prevailing 2-1 following a seven-round shootout.
The game was a tight-checking affair with neither team managing much in the way of consistent offensive flow.
“It looked like two teams coming off a hangover,” said Red Deer head coach Derrick Walser, referring to the fact both the ‘Canes and Rebels are just nicely into the post-Christmas portion of their schedules.
“A stretch of days (during the Christmas break) with no games and then getting right back at it.”
Walser was critical of himself and his coaching staff for running the team through a rigid practice session Thursday.
“Maybe we did too much yesterday, trying to catch up after the break,” he said. “We as a staff did a little too much yesterday and tired them out.
“But we hung in there and found a way to get a point, then had opportunities to win in overtime and then three cracks in the shootout to get the win.”
Kalan Lind’s fifth goal of the season at 14:14 of the third period tied the game and following a scoreless overtime the hosts were 3-2 winners in the shootout.
**sniff** **sniff**
Do we smell… WHOA-vertime?!@Rebelshockey | @PredsNHL pic.twitter.com/jZ70cVmT2N
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 30, 2023
Tyson Zimmer, Miguel Marques and Logan McCutcheon, with the clincher, beat Rebels netminder Chase Wutzke in the breakaway competition. Jhett Larson, who is now five-for-six in shootout attempts, and Samuel Drancak answered for the Rebels against ‘Canes goaltender Harrison Meneghin.
The Hurricanes got a first period marker from Kooper Gizowski and clung to the one goal cushion until Lind potted the late equalizer, going hard to the net and depositing a feed from Ollie Josepshon.
Gizowski’s goal came on a floating, seeing-eye wrist shot from just inside the blueline that eluded a screened Wutzke, who finished with 30 saves and was named the game’s second star.
Wutzke came up big during regulation time and the five-minute extra frame. Included among his saves were a glove stab on Will Sharpe and a four-on-four stop on Trae Wilkie in the first and second periods, and a denial of a great chance by Brayden Edwards in overtime.
Meneghin, meanwhile, was selected as the game’s first star with a 33-save performance. He was extra sharp in the dying minutes of the third, stopping Talon Brigley from close range and twice robbing Kai Uchacz.
Meneghin also took potential goals away from Josephson and Hunter Mayo in overtime.
“Both goalies were excellent,” said Walser.
But the bottom line, in his eyes . . .
“It seemed like both teams were changing extra fast, the legs were gone,” he noted. “Kudos to both teams, they gave everything they’ve got, both sides.
“It was one of those games where guys looked tired.”
The Rebels boarded the team bus following the game for a three and a half hour trip to Swift Current, where they will face the Broncos Saturday.
Coach Walser on tonight’s shootout defeat in Lethbridge #RDREBELS | #WHL pic.twitter.com/8mHdunX8JX
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) December 30, 2023
Notable: The Rebels were zero-for-four on the power play, the Hurricanes zero-for-three . . . Attendance was 4,407 . . . Gizowski was the game’s third star . . . Red Deer will return home following Saturday’s contest and will head back east Tuesday for a meeting with the Medicine Hat Tigers, who in turn will visit the Peavey Mart Centrium next Friday.
Photo: Erica Perreaux/Lethbridge Hurricanes
