Medicine Hat Tigers 5 Red Deer Rebels 2
File another game into the not-so-pretty section of the Red Deer Rebels WHL season.
The loss Tuesday, this one 5-2 against Central Division rival Medicine Hat Tigers and Red Deer’s third defeat in game four of a six-game home stand.
“It’s about details and fundamentals. We took some bad penalties and eventually we broke and they stayed with their game,” Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter said.
“I didn’t like our decision making with the puck at all. I thought our defence didn’t play a very good game as far as just managing the puck and making the right plays with it.”
For the opening nine minutes and 41 seconds, the Rebels failed to record a shot, while the Tigers had seven over that span.
Red Deer still managed to score first, when Brandon Hagel scored on the power play at 13:33 of the frame to extend his point streak to five games. The Buffalo Sabres draft pick has a goal and six assists during the streak.
After Tigers forward Ryan Chyzowski tied the game on the man advantage in the second, Lane Zablocki scored his third goal of the year with a backhand past Michael Bullion. Medicine Hat’s power play was operating at 37 per cent heading into the game and they scored twice in six chances with the extra man in the win.
Zablocki’s goal was the last time Red Deer led on Tuesday.
Ryan Jevne tied the game at two late in the second with a blast of a slapshot that beat Rebels goalie Ethan Anders glove side.
David Quennville scored on a redirected point shot late in the second, then Tyler Preziuso made it 4-2 with a backhand that crept past Anders. The 5-2 marker, another deflected shot, beat Anders and Lasse Petersen replaced him with just over 10 minutes left in the game.
The rookie netminder allowed five goals on 28 shots but allowed Red Deer to stay in the game with several quality saves including early in the third on a Tigers’ power play.
“Our goalie played well. He made some incredible saves in the third. Just a young guy, didn’t want to see him go through that,” Sutter said. “I thought our game had dropped off, just get in some experience in the net and let (Anders) rest a little bit and get him ready for Friday.”
Anders’ play and the line of Reese Johnson, Austin Pratt and 17-year-old Chris Douglas were the only real bright spots for Red Deer.
“That was our best line. I thought they played really well. Pratter and Dougie were outstanding. They did a really good job. Dougie is coming along well and that’s what we want with those young kids,” Sutter said.
The Rebels bench boss wasn’t happy in particular with a few of his top players but said overall, as a group the team needs to improve and work on their game collectively to get back on a winning track.
“We’ve got to continue to teach and continue to improve and get better. You need it from every guy,” Sutter said.
“Doesn’t matter what age you are, these kids are all junior age players, they all have to improve their games if they want to move on to the next level. Our older players need to be better. I didn’t think (Hagel) was very good, I didn’t think (McCarty) was very good tonight. (Schuldhaus) wasn’t very good. Those things hurt you eventually… we have a good team, it’s just when guys are trying to do things that are out of the team element it effects you and there’s too much one-on-one hockey.”
The Rebels are back on the ice at home Friday when they host the Spokane Chiefs with puck drop set for 7 p.m. at the Centrium.