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Rebels turn to bench in blowout of Oil Kings

So one-sided was the Red Deer Rebels’ beat-down of the Edmonton Oil Kings Saturday night that head coach Jesse Wallin was able to call off the big dogs down the stretch.

So one-sided was the Red Deer Rebels’ beat-down of the Edmonton Oil Kings Saturday night that head coach Jesse Wallin was able to call off the big dogs down the stretch.

With one eye on the scoreboard and the other on the remainder of the regular season and hopefully beyond, Wallin went to the likes of Turner Elson, Daulton Siwak, Adam Kambeitz, Jon Persson and Lane Scheidl to play extra shifts.

“It was an opportunity to back off the ice time of some guys who play a lot,” said Wallin, following the Rebels’ 5-0 Western Hockey League spanking of the visitors. “We haven’t been in that situation a lot. We seem to be in so many tight games and tonight we were able to get some of our kids out there and get them a lot of ice time, where they were able to play and get some rhythm.”

Siwak, who has yet to score a goal in his rookie season, was the target of more than a few passes.

“Guys were pushing for Daulton to get a goal and he’s had some opportunities,” said Wallin. “He had a couple of real good scoring chances during our B.C. road trip. He’s a little snake-bitten right now but he’s been playing well and if he continues to push that (first WHL goal) will come for him.”

Elson potted a second-period, short-handed marker that upped the Rebels’ lead to 4-0, and was a bundle of energy all evening.

“It was nice to see him finally bury one. He seems to get a (scoring) opportunity on the penalty kill once a night,” said Wallin. “Overall, these young guys have been real good for us this season. Some of them have really come on since Christmas. We have some good young players who are key right now but are going to be key for us in the future, as well.”

Posting the shutout — his second of the season — was Rebels No. 2 stopper Kraymer Barnstable, who, similar to his head coach, liked what he saw in the club’s younger skaters.

“All of our young guys played really well,” said Barnstable. “Turner scored a great short-handed goal. He’s had a lot of short-handed chances and it was nice to see him finally get one. And Siwak played an awesome game, as well. He didn’t make it on the scoresheet, but he was a hard worker for us all night and he’s going to get that first goal pretty soon.”

The Rebels all but sealed the deal in the second half of the opening period, getting their first goal from Willie Coetzee at 11:07, a power-play marker from Landon Ferraro seven minutes later and another man-advantage marker from Nick Bell in the final minute of the frame. Bell’s goal, from a point shot, was his first in the WHL and Ferraro’s 12th of the season was set up by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who finished the night with two helpers.

After Elson increased the margin to 4-0, Coetzee closed out the scoring with a 30-foot blast with the Rebels enjoying a two-man advantage late in the middle frame.

“Our team played amazing, it was a true testament to how we’ve been playing lately,” said Barnstable, who stopped 26 shots before a recorded crowd of 4,692 at the Centrium.

“Even in the third period we got pucks deep and made sure we played it safe. It was just an all-around, well-played game by us.”

The Rebels head east today and open a four-game East Division jaunt Tuesday at Regina against the Pats. The game, starting at 6 p.m., will be televised by Rogers Sportsnet.

Red Deer was able to hang on to sixth place in the Eastern Conference during the weekend. With 60 points, the Rebels are a single point ahead of the Moose Jaw Warriors, two up on the Prince Albert Raiders — 5-4 overtime losers at Edmonton Sunday — with three games in hand, and five ahead of the ninth-place Swift Current Broncos.

The Rebels will continue their road trip with a stop in Brandon Wednesday, and will conclude the five-day excursion with games Friday and Saturday in Moose Jaw and Swift Current.

gmeachem@www.reddeeradvocate.com