Rebels 3 Oil Kings 0
EDMONTON — Despite a series of injuries and players missing because of other commitments the Red Deer Rebels have been one of the hottest teams in the Western Hockey League over the past month.
The Rebels have won five of their last six games, with the loss coming in a shootout, while posting a 7-1-0-2 record in their last 10 starts.
Their latest success came Sunday afternoon when Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves in leading the Rebels to a 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings before 3,985 fans at Rexall Place.
Kuemper has played a major role in the hot spell, but overall it’s been a team effort.
“It’s been a theme of late that everyone is contributing,” said Rebels head coach Jesse Wallin. “We need to rely on everyone, it’s a team game and everyone contributes, you can’t have any passengers.
“Everyone needs to bring something to the table and commit to the system.”
Sunday was just another such day.
While the Rebels top guns were being shut down, defenceman Simon Witt notched his second goal of the season in the first period, rearguard Alex Petrovic scored his fourth in the middle stanza and forward Jordie Deagle connected on his third in the third period.
Meanwhile, Kuemper continued on where he left off Saturday, when he made 29 saves during regulation and overtime before being replaced by Kraymer Barnstable for the shootout. The Rebels beat the Oil Kings the 2-1 at the Centrium.
The Rebels got out of the first period up 1-0, thanks to Kuemper, who finished with 13 saves. He was especially solid when the Rebels were two men short for 1:46 midway through the period.
“Kemps made a number of timely saves, especially in the first period when we ran into some penalty trouble,” said Wallin.
“We were two men down when it was 0-0 and he came up big.”
The Rebels finished with 31 shots on Oil Kings Cam Lanigan and outshot their hosts in both the second and third periods. They were outshot 13-8 in the opening frame.
“We weren’t sharp early on as we’re not getting off to great starts,” added Wallin. “But our penalty kill was excellent, which seemed to give us a kick-start. The second and third periods we were stronger. Overall we were better than we were Saturday.”
The win left the Rebels with a 22-15-0-3 record and in a tie for fifth in the Eastern Conference with the Kootenay Ice, but they’re only four points ahead of Moose Jaw and Prince Albert, who are tied for eighth.
“The conference is so tight every point is huge,” said Wallin. “We can’t let down. Every night, every game and every point is big the rest of the way.”
l The Rebels return to action Wednesday when they host the Vancouver Giants at 7 p.m. at the Centrium . . . They host Swift Current Friday and then hit the road for five games . . . Defenceman Nick Bell (ankle) is back skating and will return shortly . . . Ryan Nugent-Hopkins helped lead Team Pacific to fifth place in the World U17 Championships with a 4-0 win over Team Quebec Sunday. He is expected home Tuesday and should play Wednesday . . . Forward Nathan Green (broken leg) will likely be out until mid-February . . . The shut out was Kuemper’s second of the season and fifth of his career.