Rockets 8 Rebels 1
KELOWNA — The Red Deer Rebels concluded their five-game Western Hockey League road trip on Friday with barely a whimper.
After winning two of the first four outings, the Rebels had the opportunity to close out with a victory and an above-.500 mark on the nine-day journey. But they were never in this one, outshot 20-6 and outscored 2-0 in the first period and then coughing up three unanswered goals in the middle frame.
Ryan Olsen, Cody Fowlie and Myles Bell each scored twice for the Rockets, who blasted the visitors 8-1. Kelowna netminder Jackson Whistle faced 24 shots before a crowd of 5,487 at Prospera Place.
Olsen and Tyrell Goulbourne staked Kelowna to a two-goal lead after 20 minutes and Olsen struck again 6:31 into the second period. Rourke Chartier made it 4-0 with a power-play tally 85 seconds later and Fowlie connected before the intermission.
Bell opened the final frame with a goal at 2:42 and scored his 11th of the season seven minutes later.
Rebels defenceman Mathew Dumba potted Red Deer’s lone goal at 14:32 before Fowlie closed out the scoring with 1:43 remaining in the game.
Patrik Bartosak started in the Rebels net and was replaced by Bolton Pouliot after giving up three goals on 24 shots. Pouliot stopped 17 of 22 shots while surrendering five goals the rest of the way.
Red Deer was zero-for-five on the power play. Kelowna was one-for-four with a man advantage.
The three stars were (1) Olsen, (2) Whistle and (3) Rockets defenceman Mitchell Wheaton.
The Rebels arrived back in Red Deer this morning and don’t return to game action until next Saturday against the visiting Swift Current Broncos. The Rebels will host the Prince Albert Raiders the next day and in fact will play six of their next seven games at the Centrium before heading east on a three-game trip in early December.
Red Deer can gain a measure of revenge for Friday’s beating when the Rockets visit the Centrium on Dec. 15.