The Rebels dropped a 3-1 game to the Kootenay Ice in WHL play after returning home Saturday after five games on the road in B.C.
With the two recent losses to the Ice, Red Deer also loses its hold on second place in the Central Division.
“We have to find a way to get out of this,” said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter. “We can’t sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. It’s been something that’s been building for quite some time.”
“I talked to the kids three weeks ago about it … that they had to change their mindsets and the way they think or else it was going to nail them in the butt. Well it’s nailing them in the butt.”
Red Deer has only won one game in their last 10 contests.
Kootenay moved two points ahead of the Rebels in the division with the win.
Saturday’s game did not go Red Deer’s way starting with the puck drop, as the Rebels failed to record a shot in the opening 13 minutes and 39 seconds.
Ethan Anders held the game scoreless in the Rebels net, making 11 saves in the first period.
Mason McCarty managed to get the home side on the board first early in the second with a wrist shot high over the glove of Ice netminder Duncan McGovern. McCarty leads the Rebels with 12 goals on the season, and is also the team leader in points with 21.
Alec Baer evened the game for Kootenay midway through the second with a wrist shot low glove past Anders. Just 55 seconds later, Colton Veloso beat Anders five-hole and the Ice didn’t look back. Rookie Peyton Krebs added a power play marker late in the frame.
Although they didn’t have many opportunities Saturday, the Rebels power play has all but dried up in November. In their last 32 chances, the Rebels have scored just one power play goal.
“We took 11 minor penalties in two games and they took three. That’s a significant difference,” Sutter said.
“That’s 16 minutes, almost one period of hockey. Penalties gain momentum for opposing teams. For us, our power play has been non-existent for a while now. It’s been tough, and that’s just a reflection of your work ethic and normally your top players.”
The Rebels bench boss said there’s a simple formula to help right the ship.
“Get back to being a hard-working team. Be more discipline. Everyone talks about so many things, but it begins with work ethic,” Sutter added.
“You don’t have discipline in your game, you don’t have compete or have structure when you’re not a working team. At times our team doesn’t work hard enough. We get out battled and out competed.”
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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