Wutzke Wall stands tall, Rebels edge Calgary 3-2
A come-from-behind 3-2 win gave the Red Deer Rebels their 11th straight triumph over the Calgary Hitmen Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Red Deer won for the first in five tries this season when trailing through two periods and take over top spot on the WHL Central Division.
Stats Story:
Chase Wutzke (RD) – 38 saves, win
Matthew Gard (RD) – 2 assists
Jaxon Fuder (RD) – Game winning goal
Maxim Muranov (CAL) – 1 assist, 100 career points.
Oliver Tulk (CAL) – 1 assist, 100 career assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Rebels opened the the scoring 2:31 into the game when Steven Steranka stole the puck behind the Calgary net and got it to the crease where Evan Smith had nothing but net to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.
Nothin' but net for Smith. 😎#RDREBELS | #WHL pic.twitter.com/MYLn1MljRd
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 5, 2024
Calgary tied it later in the first period when rookie Rylan Ng wristed one past Chase Wutzke for a 1-1 game through 20.
Time ticked on in the second period until Calgary’s Carter Yakemchuk took a cross-ice pass from Oliver Tulk that bounced off the stick of Carson Wetsch then beat Wutzke near side top shelf. Calgary led 2-1 through 40.
Into the third, Matthew Gard won a clean faceoff back to Jace Weir, who fired a wrist shot through traffic to beat Tu high blocker side to nod the game 2-2.
"Weir" not done yet! #RDREBELS | #WHL pic.twitter.com/poxvcwUgB7
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 5, 2024
With under four minutes remaining, Derek Thurston brought the puck to the Calgary net where Gard was waiting with a redirect to Jaxon Fuder, who lifted a backhand past Tu for a 3-2 Rebels lead.
Fuder with the game winner! #RDREBELS | #WHL pic.twitter.com/hLP3Lvi9Ui
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 5, 2024
The Rebels then withstood a late Calgary power play and feverish Hitmen push to take the one-goal victory.
Wutzke closed the door 38 times to backstop the Rebels to their ninth win of the season. Tu stopped 37 shots for Calgary.
Red Deer was 0-for-2 on the power play while Calgary was 0-for-4.
NOTABLE:
The Rebels have scored first in nine of 15 games so far this season, with seven of those tallies coming within the first five minutes of the first period.
THREE STARS:
1. Wutzke (RD)
2. Ng (CGY)
3. Gard (RD)
WHAT THEY SAID:
Coach Struch shared his thoughts…
Coach Struch on tonight’s comeback win in Calgary #RDREBELS I #WHL pic.twitter.com/s6EkBIeCnA
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) November 5, 2024
NEXT UP:
The Rebels head out on their run south of the border. First stop, they meet Wenatchee Wild on Friday, November 8, puck drop is 8 p.m. MT (106.7 Rewind Radio, CHL TV).
