The Red Deer Bantam AAA Rebels are the top scoring team in the Alberta Bantam AAA Hockey League.
Through 13 games, the Rebels have 68 goals and only allowed 43, for a tidy 9-4-0 record.
All that, despite not having a player in the top 20 in league scoring.
They put their offensive prowess on display Saturday afternoon at Servus Arena, with a dominant 7-3 victory over the Calgary Royals.
“We’ve got a real high-skill group. Every one of our forwards can score and our d-men chip in with goals. We’re going to score goals, we just have to keep shoring up our d-zone then we’re going to be hard to beat,” said Rebels head coach Justin Jarmolicz.
Through 20 minutes, the Rebels actually trailed 3-2 but burst out for four goals in the second before Nate Danielson added his second of the game in the third.
“We do have a good team and they physically started to dominate. Our skating took over and they just couldn’t handle us down low and the boys played hard through it,” Jarmolicz said.
“We took some penalties in the first that cost us, we have to be a little bit better on the penalty kill and we’re going to be. They just need to start on time.”
Ty Daneault scored twice in the final four minutes of the second, while Talon Brigley, Kaiden Ellertson and Austin Corsiatto also found the score sheet. Corsiatto, with a goal and two assists, leads the Rebels with 19 points in 13 games.
The dynamic offensive attack is what has Rebels near the top of the league but their own zone is where the head coach believes they need to improve the most.
“Quicker passes coming out of our zone. We have to move the puck a little quicker. Recognize our man in front of the net and instead of trying to check the puck, we’re trying to check body,” Jarmolicz added.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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