Rebels 3 Hitmen 0
CALGARY - The Red Deer Rebels were looking for a spark to get them back on the winning track and Tuesday’s performance against the Calgary Hitmen may be just what the doctor ordered.
The Rebels got a three-goal effort from Adam Musil and a shutout performance by Riley Lamb in downing the Hitmen 3-0 in Western Hockey League action before 5,418 fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The game was a complete turn-around from last Friday when they were outshot 54-20 and lost 7-2 to the Medicine Hat Tigers at home.
“We played more of a complete game,” said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter. “Our whole game was very good. A lot of things tonight were done the right way.”
Sutter indicated the defence was solid, they blocked a number of shots and spent a lot of time in the offensive zone.
Musil finally found his scoring touch.
He opened the scoring at 19:24 of the first period, notching his fourth of the season by ripping a shot from the slot in off the crossbar behind Hitmen netminder Cody Porter.
He made it 2-0 at 16:01 of the second period when Colton Bobyk’s shot from the point deflected in off his leg. He then scored into an empty net at 19:17 of the third period.
Sutter had nothing but good to say about the Delta, B.C. product, stressing he had been playing better in the last four or five games.
Lamb also needed a boost to his confidence. He, along with his mates, has struggled of late, posted his second shutout of the season, making 26 saves.
“He didn’t have a lot of work but made the saves we needed him to make,” said Sutter.
The Rebels had 27 shots on Porter and were zero-for-four on the power play. However, they took only one penalty and didn’t give up a power play.
The Rebels don’t have much time to enjoy the victory as they travel to Cranbrook to meet the Ice today.
They return home Friday against Kootenay and host Moose Jaw on Saturday.