The Red Deer Rebels split a four-game road trip over the past week.
After starting the week with wins in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, the Rebels dropped a pair of games against the Brandon Wheat Kings and Swift Current Broncos over the weekend.
Red Deer travelled to Brandon on Friday, Dec. 6, where the Wheat Kings handed the Rebels a 5-1 loss.
Wheat Kings forward Dominik Petr had a dominant first period, scoring two goals and assisting on another. Brandon also added two more goals in the middle frame.
Rebels defenceman Hunter Mayo scored Red Deer's only goal of the game. The tally was his 11th of the season, which is second among all Western Hockey League defencemen so far this season.
The game's three stars were all Brandon Wheat Kings: Dominik Petr (first), Nicholas Johnson (second) and Quinn Mantei (third).
Rebels goaltender Peyton Shore started the game between the pipes for Red Deer, before being chased early in the second period after allowing four goals on 13 shots. Chase Wutzke went the rest of the way for Red Deer, stopping 18 of 19 shots. Wheat Kings goaltender Carson Bjarnason stopped 21 of 22 Red Deer shots.
The following night, a shorthanded Rebels squad was shut out 3-0 by the Swift Current Broncos. The Rebels played the game without multiple veteran players — Matteo Fabrizi, Ollie Josephson, Jhett Larson and Carson Birnie didn't dress for the Rebels. Additionally, Mayo left the game after early.
Swift Current scored two goals in the opening period, with the first coming from Connor Gabriel less than three minutes into the game. Gabriel was named the third star of the game.
"Our older guys didn't show up early in the game," head coach David Struch said in a post-game video on the Rebels' Twitter page.
Swift Current goaltender Reid Dyck was named the game's first star, stopping all 30 of the shots he faced. Playing in his second game in two nights, Wutzke was the game's second star, stopping 42 of 45 shots.
"Chase Wutzke did a heck of a job for us and really worked hard for his teammates," said Struch.
Swift Current added its third goal about half way through the second period.
Despite the loss, Struch praised many of the young players in the Rebels lineup, including Jake Missura, Luke Vlooswyk, Steven Steranka, Nolan Schmidt and Beckett Hamilton. Overall, Red Deer had nine rookies playing on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The Rebels have a 14-12-1-2 record and sit third in the Central Division, two points back of the Medicine Hat Tigers for first in the division.
Red Deer will look to get back on track Friday, Dec. 13 when they visit Lethbridge to battle the Hurricanes. Then Red Deer will return home to host the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Peavey Mart Centrium, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
Saturday's home contest is also the Rebels annual ‘Toque and Teddy Bear Toss Night.’
Fans are encouraged to bring toques and other warm clothing items, along with stuffed toys, and toss them onto the ice after the Rebels score their first goal of the game. All items collected will be donated to the Red Deer Christmas Bureau, who will distribute them to those in need this holiday season. Game time Saturday is at 7 p.m.
