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Bains, King add to scoring lead, Red Deer Rebels roll over Blades

Rebels 5 Blades 2
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Red Deer Rebels forward Dallon Melin hunts for a loose puck in front of Saskatoon Blades netminder Nolan Maier Tuesday night in WHL action at the Peavey Mart Centrium. (Photo by BYRON HACKETT/Advocate Staff)

Rebels 5 Blades 2

As the WHL regular season winds to a close, there is simply a lack of superlatives to describe what Ben King and Arshdeep Bains are doing.

The duo was at it again Tuesday night at the Peavey Mart Centrium, recording a point on the Red Deer Rebels’ first three goals, as they cruised to a 5-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades.

Bains had two of the first three goals, his 32nd and 33rd goals of the year. He drew an assist on the second goal, his third point of the night, which of course was scored by King. The 19-year-old King, who was the WHL Player of the Week last week was not to be outdone, recording assists on both goals and adding one late in the game.

“For fans, they’re fun to watch. They can make some plays– the skill level. They do have chemistry,” said Rebels head coach Steve Konowalchuk post-game.

“They’re inseparable on the ice and off the ice, they’re good buddies and I think that shows. Yeah, another good game from them.”

King added an assist on a Kalan Lind empty-net goal for a four-point night and first star honours. He has 90 points on the year, one back of Bains, who has 91 and leads the WHL. Is there a friendly wager on who might take the WHL scoring title, with 10 games left in the season?

“We’re both just kinda playing our game, looking for each other. We’ve been playing the last two and half years,” King said with a smile.

“It might come down to one or the other. If he gets it, I’m happy for him, if I get it, I’m sure he’ll be happy for me. We’re just good teammates and good best friends.”

With a comfortable 3-0 lead through two and a half periods for the Rebels, it was the visiting Blades who woke up late in the second. Blades forward Egor Sidorov scored with 4:44 left in the second to cut the deficit.

Early in the third on the power play after a questionable Jace Isley cross-checking penalty, Jayden Wiens tucked a quick shot behind Chase Coward to get Saskatoon within a goal.

According to Konowalchuk, there was no panic in the Rebels’ game even as the ice tilted towards the Blades’ direction.

“I thought our guys played a good smart, hockey game. A little bit of adversity with the penalty there. We’re up 3-0 and they pushed a little bit,” Konowalchuk said.

“We were a little light on pucks. Our guys got right back to it to start the third and got back to the game we needed. They got the one power play goal to give them a little bit of life, but I thought out guys bounced right back.”

Sylvan Lake product Talon Brigley put the game out of reach from there, notching his sixth of the year to restore the two-goal advantage.

“They scored a second goal, but to be honest I don’t think it took very long for us– we got our feet back and got the cycle going a little bit. Of course, they score that second goal and it’s a one-goal hockey game. They’re going to get a little bit of life off it,” Konowalchuk said.

The Rebels bench boss also gave credit to the line of Jayden Grubbe, Dallon Melin and Jace Isley, who didn’t find the scoresheet in the win but made it tough on the Blades’ top unit.

“Grubbe, Isley and (Melin) they go against a good hockey line. They grind it out against them and that’s not always on the box score. It was a really good game by them,” Konowalchuk said.

“They spend an awful lot of time behind the other team’s goal line and that’s the best way to defend.”

It was also another solid night for Coward, who stopped 21 of 23 shots to pick up his 17th win of the year.

Three stars: King (1), Bains (2), Lind (3).

The Rebels are on the road to take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday night, before finishing a home-and-home with the Hurricanes Saturday night in Red Deer at the Peavey Mart Centrium.

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Red Deer Rebels forward Kalan Lind carries the puck through the neutral zone with a Saskatoon Blades player in hot pursuit on Tuesday night in WHL action at the Peavey Mart Centrium. (Photo by BYRON HACKETT/Advocate Staff)
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Red Deer Rebels forward Jace Isley tries to dodge a Saskatoon Blades defender on Tuesday night in first period WHL action at the Peavey Mart Centrium. (Photo by BYRON HACKETT/Advocate Staff)


Byron Hackett

About the Author: Byron Hackett

Byron has been the sports reporter at the advocate since December of 2016. He likes to spend his time in cold hockey arenas accompanied by luke warm, watered down coffee.
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