The Red Deer Rebels had nothing left in their fourth game in five days.
Playing the WHL’s East Division-leading Winnipeg ICE Saturday, the Rebels laid an egg in a 6-0 shutout loss against the ICE.
Former Rebels defenceman Dawson Barteaux, in his first game with his new club after being dealt at the trade deadline Friday, registered two assists in the win in front of friends and family.
“That helped a lot, brought the nerves down a lot,” said the Foxwarren, Man. native postgame about an assist on the opening goal. His hometown is just over three hours from Winnipeg.
“I haven’t been that nervous for a game in a little while. It was obviously hard seeing that jersey across there, but I’m really happy with where I ended up and what we’re capable of doing here.”
Jackson Leppard opened the scoring for Winnipeg in the first before Peyton Krebs buried with 1:58 left in the second.
Michael Milne, Benjamin Zloty, Issac Johnson and Connor McClennon added third-period tallies to put the game out of reach.
“I thought it was pretty good game for us, it was tight there until the end of the second,” noted Barteaux.
“We started directing more pucks at the net and got a couple bounces going our way and pucks started going in for us. We earned all those bounces, it was a really good game.”
Liam Hughes earned the shutout, stopping all 28 shots. Ethan Anders turned aside 25 shots in the loss for Red Deer.
Barteaux also reflected on what it was like to face his old team in a new home and uniform Saturday and he said there were no hard feelings, and he hopes for a strong future for his former club.
“They have some crazy talented young guys. The next few years for them are going to be super exciting,” he said.
“I’m very fond of everybody in that organization and all the coaches they’ve done so much for me. Can’t thank them enough. Obviously, it was hard for both sides for it to happen, but it’s best for me to go for a run at it here.”
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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