As most of know by now, former BIG105/106.7 The Drive Sports Director Andrew Walker has moved up the food chain, and is now working for the Fan960 in Calgary!
I'm here to introduce myself as "the replacement" I'm no stranger to Red Deer, having previously worked for BIG & The Drive as reporter, anchor and acting News Director from 2004-2007.
I've spent the last 2+ years in Nanaimo as News Director for the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group stations out there. A big plus to my job there was doing colour commentary for the Junior A Nanaimo Clippers of the BC Hockey League. It was in BC where I was first introduced to players like current Red Deer Rebels Willie Coetzee (former Cowichan Valley Capital) and Alex Petrovic (who I saw play in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge held in Port Alberni)
Since leaving Red Deer in the summer of 2007, I've always kept an eye on the home town Rebels, and am excited to once again see the team battling for a playoff spot.
Andrew spent 5 years in Central Alberta, and did an excellent job of covering the goings on in the local sports scene, and I promise that I will do my best to keep this up! Please forgive me if I'm a little late with blog posts! I still have to get used to it!
Cheers!
MW
Monday, February 8, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Blog Change
Hey all.
Just a couple of quick notes. Just returned from holidays in Vancouver (reason for no updates last week). Also, this is my final week here in Red Deer, as I've accepted a position with the FAN 960 in Calgary. I am hoping this blog will stay up, and my replacement can keep it up to date once he starts covering the team I know fans appreciate the outlet of info, especially parents of the players scattered all across the country.
I've certainly enjoyed my time here in Central Alberta since 2004 and have had the pleasure to meet a lot of great people, plenty of them close followers of this blog. Hopefully you will have some playoff hockey to watch come spring time. I wish the boys all the best of luck the rest of the season, and I'll be back at the Centrium to watch once they clinch a postseason berth in 2010.
Take Care.
Andrew Walker
Just a couple of quick notes. Just returned from holidays in Vancouver (reason for no updates last week). Also, this is my final week here in Red Deer, as I've accepted a position with the FAN 960 in Calgary. I am hoping this blog will stay up, and my replacement can keep it up to date once he starts covering the team I know fans appreciate the outlet of info, especially parents of the players scattered all across the country.
I've certainly enjoyed my time here in Central Alberta since 2004 and have had the pleasure to meet a lot of great people, plenty of them close followers of this blog. Hopefully you will have some playoff hockey to watch come spring time. I wish the boys all the best of luck the rest of the season, and I'll be back at the Centrium to watch once they clinch a postseason berth in 2010.
Take Care.
Andrew Walker
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Vancouver Giants 6 Red Deer Rebels 2
Rebels Home Winning Streak Snapped
(Red Deer, AB) Apparently, sometimes David does lose to Goliath. The Red Deer Rebels winning streak ended with a thud Wednesday night, as they dropped an ugly 6-2 decision to the visiting Vancouver Giants, the top team in the WHL's B.C. Division.
The game started off on the right foot for Red Deer, as former Giant Andrej Kudrna opened the scoring at 11:56 of the first.
Brendan Gallagher and James Henry tallied to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, but Red Deer carried the play for much of the opening frame.
Early in the second though, the tide would turn for good. Gallagher would make it 3-1 at 15:14 with his second of the night off a nifty re-direction in front. Cullen Morin would get the Rebels back to within one, making it 3-2 with his second of the season just a minute.
Late in the period though, Craig Cunningham would pot his 23rd of the year, rifling home a powerplay marker at 19:12. That goal, in essence, was the backbreaker, and the Giants would put the game away in the third. Gary Nunn made it 5-2 at 3:42, before former Rebel Connor Redmond would rip home his first goal of the season to make it 6-2 at 8:34.
Red Deer finishes 0 for 8 on the powerplay, while Giants went a very efficient two for three.
The Rebels return to action Friday night when they host the Swift Current Broncos (7:30 p.m.) a huge game in the Eastern Confernce Standings.
--------------
Here's the summary from last night:
1. R.D Kudrna, (18) (Coetzee, Ferraro), 8:04
1. VAN Gallagher, (25) (Manning, Connauton), 16:46 (PP)
1. VAN Henry, (14) (Manning, Nunn), 17:51
2. VAN Gallagher, (26) (Musil, Cunningham), 15:14
2. R.D Morin, (2) (Ferguson, Nugent-Hopkins), 16:10
2. VAN Cunningham, (23) (Connauton, Manning), 19:13 (PP)
(Red Deer, AB) Apparently, sometimes David does lose to Goliath. The Red Deer Rebels winning streak ended with a thud Wednesday night, as they dropped an ugly 6-2 decision to the visiting Vancouver Giants, the top team in the WHL's B.C. Division.
The game started off on the right foot for Red Deer, as former Giant Andrej Kudrna opened the scoring at 11:56 of the first.
Brendan Gallagher and James Henry tallied to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, but Red Deer carried the play for much of the opening frame.
Early in the second though, the tide would turn for good. Gallagher would make it 3-1 at 15:14 with his second of the night off a nifty re-direction in front. Cullen Morin would get the Rebels back to within one, making it 3-2 with his second of the season just a minute.
Late in the period though, Craig Cunningham would pot his 23rd of the year, rifling home a powerplay marker at 19:12. That goal, in essence, was the backbreaker, and the Giants would put the game away in the third. Gary Nunn made it 5-2 at 3:42, before former Rebel Connor Redmond would rip home his first goal of the season to make it 6-2 at 8:34.
Red Deer finishes 0 for 8 on the powerplay, while Giants went a very efficient two for three.
The Rebels return to action Friday night when they host the Swift Current Broncos (7:30 p.m.) a huge game in the Eastern Confernce Standings.
--------------
Here's the summary from last night:
1. R.D Kudrna, (18) (Coetzee, Ferraro), 8:04
1. VAN Gallagher, (25) (Manning, Connauton), 16:46 (PP)
1. VAN Henry, (14) (Manning, Nunn), 17:51
2. VAN Gallagher, (26) (Musil, Cunningham), 15:14
2. R.D Morin, (2) (Ferguson, Nugent-Hopkins), 16:10
2. VAN Cunningham, (23) (Connauton, Manning), 19:13 (PP)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Rebels Continue Run
Red Deer Rebels 4 Brandon Wheat Kings 2
The Brandon Wheat Kings already know they'll play in the Memorial Cup this spring. They just hope they don't have to meet up with the Red Deer Rebels once they get there.
The Rebels defeated the East Division leading Wheaties for the third time this season Wednesday night, 4-2 at the Enmax Centrium.
It was a Brandon-filled first period, as the Wheat Kings outshot Red Deer 13-8 and led 1-0 on the scoreboard thanks to a goal from Shayne Weibe.
Red Deer's fourth line would tie the game eight minutes into the second when Lane Scheidl jammed in his fourth of the season. Brandon would get into penalty trouble a few minutes later, and the Rebels responded with back to back goals on the two man advantage. First, Willie Coetzee ripped a slapper top shelf, his 17th, before John Persson converted a Coetzee pass to make it 3-1. Red Deer dominated the second frame, outscoring Brandon 3-0 and outshooting them 14-5.
In the third, Brent Raedeke would cut the lead to 3-2 at 9:24, scoring his first goal in his first game as a Wheat King. Red Deer would ice the game in the final minute when Landon Ferraro found a wide open Andrej Kudrna on a two-on-one, his 17th.
Red Deer, for the time being, jumps into a 6th place tie in the East, and will host the Edmonton Oil Kings Saturday night (7:30 p.m - 7 p.m. Pregame Show on 106.7 The Drive)
Here's the Summary:
1. BDN Wiebe, (16) (Lewadniuk), 7:21
2. R.D Scheidl, (4) (Haber, Persson), 8:00
2. R.D Coetzee, (17) (Morin, Petrovic), 12:35 (PP)
2. R.D Persson, (4) (Coetzee, Morin), 13:52 (PP)
3. BDN Raedeke, (18) (Robak, Glennie), 9:24
3. R.D Kudrna, (17) (Ferraro, Deagle), 19:07
--------------------------
-With this win, the Rebels have now picked up at least a point in 12 of their last 15 games. Overall, they're 9-3-3 in that span.
-Nice to see John Persson heating up. After a great training camp, preseason, and start to the regular season, Persson hit an absolute wall, and went more than two months without a point. But in the last two games, he's registered two goals and an assist, and was the best player on the ice Wednesday. At 17 years of age, Persson will play a big role on this team yet.
-Great to see Landon Ferraro back. Two goals in Tuesday's 5-4 SO loss in Cranbrook, and then last night, a few chances, capped off by a beautiful assist on an Andrej Kudrna insurance marker.
- I think sometimes people forget just what a huge part of this team Ferraro is. 37 goals a year ago, we've seen him at 100% for all of four periods this season, and soon he'll be back to that level. Coetzee has been huge. Nugent-Hopkins has been huge. But when healthy, Ferraro is the straw that will stir the playoff drink.
- I grow more and more impressed with Daulton Siwak all the time. It's tough to describe, but although his numbers look like that of most 16 year-olds playing the league, there is something about his style of game that screams "not 16". It's obvious that he has a tremendous set of hands, and once he figures where the scoring areas are on the ice, and gets a bit more ice time, the points will come. Also, I don't remember seeing a 16 year old so thick. A Wheat King blueliner tried to stand Siwak up last night at the blueline, and was sent flying.
-An old school hockey play last night in the second period. Rebels D Simon Witt fired an ill-advised suicide pass up to Josh Cowen, who was promptly leveled by Darren Bestland. Witt, even though he was obviously going to be hit with an instigator, skated over and dropped the gloves. That's the hockey code, and good on Witt for "getting it".
----------------
Good luck to the AAA Midget Optimist Rebels this morning, as they face teh Prince Albert Mintos in the quarterfinals of the Macs Tournament in Calgary (9 a.m.) The last time these two teams met up? The 2007 National Final at the Enmax Centrium. Still one of the best hockey games I have ever seen.
Speaking of that game...Red Deer goaltender Marc Boulanger, now with the Olds Grizzlys of the AJHL, was the one who had to watch the Minto's score the Telus Cup OT winner that day. I have a peice on him here:
http://www.reddeerexpress.com/article/20091230/EXP1101/312309976/-1/EXP11/boulanger-shutting-the-door-in-olds
The Brandon Wheat Kings already know they'll play in the Memorial Cup this spring. They just hope they don't have to meet up with the Red Deer Rebels once they get there.
The Rebels defeated the East Division leading Wheaties for the third time this season Wednesday night, 4-2 at the Enmax Centrium.
It was a Brandon-filled first period, as the Wheat Kings outshot Red Deer 13-8 and led 1-0 on the scoreboard thanks to a goal from Shayne Weibe.
Red Deer's fourth line would tie the game eight minutes into the second when Lane Scheidl jammed in his fourth of the season. Brandon would get into penalty trouble a few minutes later, and the Rebels responded with back to back goals on the two man advantage. First, Willie Coetzee ripped a slapper top shelf, his 17th, before John Persson converted a Coetzee pass to make it 3-1. Red Deer dominated the second frame, outscoring Brandon 3-0 and outshooting them 14-5.
In the third, Brent Raedeke would cut the lead to 3-2 at 9:24, scoring his first goal in his first game as a Wheat King. Red Deer would ice the game in the final minute when Landon Ferraro found a wide open Andrej Kudrna on a two-on-one, his 17th.
Red Deer, for the time being, jumps into a 6th place tie in the East, and will host the Edmonton Oil Kings Saturday night (7:30 p.m - 7 p.m. Pregame Show on 106.7 The Drive)
Here's the Summary:
1. BDN Wiebe, (16) (Lewadniuk), 7:21
2. R.D Scheidl, (4) (Haber, Persson), 8:00
2. R.D Coetzee, (17) (Morin, Petrovic), 12:35 (PP)
2. R.D Persson, (4) (Coetzee, Morin), 13:52 (PP)
3. BDN Raedeke, (18) (Robak, Glennie), 9:24
3. R.D Kudrna, (17) (Ferraro, Deagle), 19:07
--------------------------
-With this win, the Rebels have now picked up at least a point in 12 of their last 15 games. Overall, they're 9-3-3 in that span.
-Nice to see John Persson heating up. After a great training camp, preseason, and start to the regular season, Persson hit an absolute wall, and went more than two months without a point. But in the last two games, he's registered two goals and an assist, and was the best player on the ice Wednesday. At 17 years of age, Persson will play a big role on this team yet.
-Great to see Landon Ferraro back. Two goals in Tuesday's 5-4 SO loss in Cranbrook, and then last night, a few chances, capped off by a beautiful assist on an Andrej Kudrna insurance marker.
- I think sometimes people forget just what a huge part of this team Ferraro is. 37 goals a year ago, we've seen him at 100% for all of four periods this season, and soon he'll be back to that level. Coetzee has been huge. Nugent-Hopkins has been huge. But when healthy, Ferraro is the straw that will stir the playoff drink.
- I grow more and more impressed with Daulton Siwak all the time. It's tough to describe, but although his numbers look like that of most 16 year-olds playing the league, there is something about his style of game that screams "not 16". It's obvious that he has a tremendous set of hands, and once he figures where the scoring areas are on the ice, and gets a bit more ice time, the points will come. Also, I don't remember seeing a 16 year old so thick. A Wheat King blueliner tried to stand Siwak up last night at the blueline, and was sent flying.
-An old school hockey play last night in the second period. Rebels D Simon Witt fired an ill-advised suicide pass up to Josh Cowen, who was promptly leveled by Darren Bestland. Witt, even though he was obviously going to be hit with an instigator, skated over and dropped the gloves. That's the hockey code, and good on Witt for "getting it".
----------------
Good luck to the AAA Midget Optimist Rebels this morning, as they face teh Prince Albert Mintos in the quarterfinals of the Macs Tournament in Calgary (9 a.m.) The last time these two teams met up? The 2007 National Final at the Enmax Centrium. Still one of the best hockey games I have ever seen.
Speaking of that game...Red Deer goaltender Marc Boulanger, now with the Olds Grizzlys of the AJHL, was the one who had to watch the Minto's score the Telus Cup OT winner that day. I have a peice on him here:
http://www.reddeerexpress.com/article/20091230/EXP1101/312309976/-1/EXP11/boulanger-shutting-the-door-in-olds
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Rebels Crack Top 8
Red Deer Rebels 3 Regina Pats 2
-Aside from sitting at 2-1 in the first week of the seaosn, I don't remember the last time the Red Deer Rebels were above the playoff cut line in the WHL's Eastern Conference, certainly not in mid-December. But after Tuesday night's 3-2 win over the Regina Pats, the Rebels have points in their last six, a season high. They're also 7-2-2 in their last 11 games, and as of Wednesday morning, sit tied with Swift Current for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.
And with an upcoming home and home against the struggling Edmonton Oil Kings, not to mention having games in hand, Red Deer, as shorthanded as they are, have a chance to set themselves up very nicely heading into the Christmas break.
Here's the summary from last night:
1. R.D Elson, (4) (Deagle, Borejko), 12:11 (PP)
2. R.D Coetzee, (15) (Nugent-Hopkins, Archer), 9:45
2. REG Orfino, (7) (Hricina, Hutt), 14:36
3. R.D Cowen, (10) (Nugent-Hopkins, Petrovic), 7:48 (PP)
3. REG Ashton, (14) (Weal, Strueby), 16:00 (PP)
-36 hours ago, about half the team was laid up with food poisoning due to some bad chicken in Saskatoon, so in addition to playing without Kudrna, Ferraro, and Green, they were a bit behind the 8 ball in terms of energy as well. A gutsy win.
-F Andrej Kudrna flew out for Saskatchewan last night, and will join his native Slovakia for WJC camp starting today in Prince Albert.
- Newcomer Brad Haber centered the Rebels 4th line, playing alongside 15 year-old Mason Burr, Red Deer's second round bantam pick from this past spring.
-Aside from sitting at 2-1 in the first week of the seaosn, I don't remember the last time the Red Deer Rebels were above the playoff cut line in the WHL's Eastern Conference, certainly not in mid-December. But after Tuesday night's 3-2 win over the Regina Pats, the Rebels have points in their last six, a season high. They're also 7-2-2 in their last 11 games, and as of Wednesday morning, sit tied with Swift Current for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.
And with an upcoming home and home against the struggling Edmonton Oil Kings, not to mention having games in hand, Red Deer, as shorthanded as they are, have a chance to set themselves up very nicely heading into the Christmas break.Here's the summary from last night:
1. R.D Elson, (4) (Deagle, Borejko), 12:11 (PP)
2. R.D Coetzee, (15) (Nugent-Hopkins, Archer), 9:45
2. REG Orfino, (7) (Hricina, Hutt), 14:36
3. R.D Cowen, (10) (Nugent-Hopkins, Petrovic), 7:48 (PP)
3. REG Ashton, (14) (Weal, Strueby), 16:00 (PP)
-36 hours ago, about half the team was laid up with food poisoning due to some bad chicken in Saskatoon, so in addition to playing without Kudrna, Ferraro, and Green, they were a bit behind the 8 ball in terms of energy as well. A gutsy win.
-F Andrej Kudrna flew out for Saskatchewan last night, and will join his native Slovakia for WJC camp starting today in Prince Albert.
- Newcomer Brad Haber centered the Rebels 4th line, playing alongside 15 year-old Mason Burr, Red Deer's second round bantam pick from this past spring.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tigers 2 Rebels 1 (SO)
Medicine Hat Tigers 2 Red Deer Rebels 1 (shootout)
(Enmax Centrium)
Yes, the Rebels continue to be snake-bitten by the Medicine Hat Tigers, and yes, the team dropped it's final game at home before heading out on a very tough Saskatchewan road trip. But, that's not to say there weren't some positives to take out of Wednesday night's 2-1 shootout loss to their Central Division rivals.
(Enmax Centrium)
Yes, the Rebels continue to be snake-bitten by the Medicine Hat Tigers, and yes, the team dropped it's final game at home before heading out on a very tough Saskatchewan road trip. But, that's not to say there weren't some positives to take out of Wednesday night's 2-1 shootout loss to their Central Division rivals.
(photo courtesy Brendan Miller - Red Deer Express)
For 40 minutes, there wasn't much in the way of action, as both teams seemed content to limit scoring chances and see how the game would develop. Bretton Cameron gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead on the powerplay int he second, and Rebels F Turner Elson nearly had his third goal in sas many games when he drilled a wrister off the crossbar. As the third period got underway though, Red Deer knew they had 20 minutes to figure out Tigers' netminder Tyler Bunz, who has pretty much been the bane of the Rebels' existence this season.
19 and a half minutes later, they finally would, when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins stuffed home his 17th of the season off a mad scramble in front. The shot was the 22nd of the period for Red Deer, who furiously forechecked for almost the entire duration of the final frame.
Red Deer held the play in overtime, but would still see the game go to a shootout, the second on Centrium ice this season. Bunz would stop Willie Coetzee and Brett Ferguson, and the Tigers would get nifty goals from Tristan King and Jace Coyle to put the game away.
Red Deer will play in Prince Albert Friday night before taking on the Blades in Saskatoon Saturday
--------------------------
-Wednesday night's game marked the final contest for Tiger's head coach Willie Desjardins until after New Year's, as he'll head to Regina for Team Canada's WJC selection camp. Good luck Willie!
-The shots in the third period read 22-3 in favor of the Rebels, the largest disparity we've seen so far this season.
-F Brett Ferguson got into a rare scrap in the first period against Tigers F Matt McKay. Ferguson took a clear decision with a flurry of jabs and uppercuts that left McKay one step behind the entire way.
-There were about 18 people in the stands. When is the last time we've seen a real crowd at the Centrium that wasn't for a home opener? The answer to that I suppose would be the first game after Christmas last season, but those nights where people outnumber empty seats are few and far between. The Enmax Centrium is an absolute church these days. Good plays, quite literally, get a smattering of applause.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday Morning
Sorry for no weekend blogging. I found myself instead shovelling, digging and thawing out my car. Winter has hit Red Deer like a ton of bricks, and if you don't have a 4 X 4, it's been a nightmare, especially on the side residential streets.
I don't think the Red Deer Rebels will mind the snow too much though. What a weekend it was for them. A road win to kick off the weekend Friday, 4-3 over Lethbridge, and then a stunning 5-1 victory over Saskatoon Saturday, one of the top-ranked teams in the CHL.
When the dust (or snow) clears, it means that at 15-14, Red Deer is BACK ABOVE the .500 mark for the first time since they were 2-1 back on September 25th.
Here are my three stars of the weekend.
1) Adam Kambeitz - He was my big for breakout player this season, and after a goal in the first game of the season, it had been a long streak of offensive futility, culminated by a healthy scratch one night. Slowly but surely though, the 17 year-old Coaldale product has found his game, and played like a man possessed over the weekend. 2 goals and an assist on Friday, and a very dangerous performance Saturday, including an assist on Turner Elson's shorthanded goal.
2) Turner Elson - Kambeitz' partner in crime. Turner potted a goal and an assist in Friday's victory, and then supplied the backbreaker while killing a penalty Saturday. Plenty of energy, plenty of spunk, and growing into a top-notch agitator. However, when discussing training and fitness testing with him, I was unimpressed with the way he laughed when I revealed to him what my body fat % was just measured in at. smartass.
3) Darcy Kuemper - Back to back wins. 19 saves Friday, and then a stellar 35 save performance Saturday. I thought Kuemper was sensational against the Blades, and absolutely oozed confidence between the pipes.
So all of a sudden, the standings look a lot better for Red Deer. Still 10th in the conference, the Rebels now have games in hand on all nine teams ahead of them. They sit just five points back of 6th place Regina, and while they sit seven points back of 5th Prince Albert, they have five games in hand on the Raiders. They'll begin to make those up Wednesday night as once again, they host the Medicine Hat Tigers.
More notes:
-F Landon Ferraro remained in Vancouver over the weekend, seeing a specialist and getting treatment on his troublesome knee. Rather than rush back, Ferraro needs to stay on the sidelines this time until fully healthy, as a 100% 37-goal man will be a huge boost to this team, who has had one of their top snipers at full speed for all of four periods this season.
-F Daulton Siwak was battling a fever Saturday night, and didn't see much ice time against the Blades. This comes after playing maybe his best game of the season Friday night, and picking up his first WHL point to boot.
--------------------
Now some Monday reading:
-Hopefully after a gold medal winning performance in Vancouver, Red Deer legend Jeremy Weatherspoon will call an end to a brilliant speedskating career:
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/speed-skating/news/newsid=21690.html
-One of the most pleasant guys you will ever meet, Sylvan Lake's Lyndon Rush pilots Canada to a bronze on the world cup bobsled circuit:
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/worldcupwatch/sport=bs/newsid=21635.html#everything+coming+together+rush
-Former AAA Midget Optimist Rebel Corey Campbell, who captained the 2007 squad to a silver medal finish at the Telus Cup, scored the OT winner for the AJHL's Olds Grizzlies Sunday night.
-Call me oblivious, but I didn't realize Red Deer's Justin Feser had scored 14 goals already with the Tri-City Americans. Keep it up Justin.
-My pal and I have been playing what we call the "Jordan Eberle game". We check the Regina Pats boxscore at various times, and once learning the score, we predict what Eberle's stat line will be like. Last night, on four Pats goals, he had 2g and 2a. Remarkable.
- Cam Moon and I argued over the weekend as to whether it was good or bad that the Rebels will avoid Eberle later this month when the Pats visit the Enmax Centrium. (He is, after all, going to be with Team Canada preparing for the World Juniors) Mooner says he's glad he won't be in the lineup. Meanwhile, I'm severely disappointed we don't get to see him.
-Red Deer golfer Adrienne White is just one solid round of golf away from acheiving her dream. White heads into the fifth and final round of LPGA Q School this morning in Daytona Beach at two under par, good for a tie for 9th place overall. if she can hold on to a top-20 finish, White will receive priority status on the LPGA tour for the upcoming season.
I don't think the Red Deer Rebels will mind the snow too much though. What a weekend it was for them. A road win to kick off the weekend Friday, 4-3 over Lethbridge, and then a stunning 5-1 victory over Saskatoon Saturday, one of the top-ranked teams in the CHL.
When the dust (or snow) clears, it means that at 15-14, Red Deer is BACK ABOVE the .500 mark for the first time since they were 2-1 back on September 25th.
Here are my three stars of the weekend.
1) Adam Kambeitz - He was my big for breakout player this season, and after a goal in the first game of the season, it had been a long streak of offensive futility, culminated by a healthy scratch one night. Slowly but surely though, the 17 year-old Coaldale product has found his game, and played like a man possessed over the weekend. 2 goals and an assist on Friday, and a very dangerous performance Saturday, including an assist on Turner Elson's shorthanded goal.
2) Turner Elson - Kambeitz' partner in crime. Turner potted a goal and an assist in Friday's victory, and then supplied the backbreaker while killing a penalty Saturday. Plenty of energy, plenty of spunk, and growing into a top-notch agitator. However, when discussing training and fitness testing with him, I was unimpressed with the way he laughed when I revealed to him what my body fat % was just measured in at. smartass.
3) Darcy Kuemper - Back to back wins. 19 saves Friday, and then a stellar 35 save performance Saturday. I thought Kuemper was sensational against the Blades, and absolutely oozed confidence between the pipes.
So all of a sudden, the standings look a lot better for Red Deer. Still 10th in the conference, the Rebels now have games in hand on all nine teams ahead of them. They sit just five points back of 6th place Regina, and while they sit seven points back of 5th Prince Albert, they have five games in hand on the Raiders. They'll begin to make those up Wednesday night as once again, they host the Medicine Hat Tigers.
More notes:
-F Landon Ferraro remained in Vancouver over the weekend, seeing a specialist and getting treatment on his troublesome knee. Rather than rush back, Ferraro needs to stay on the sidelines this time until fully healthy, as a 100% 37-goal man will be a huge boost to this team, who has had one of their top snipers at full speed for all of four periods this season.
-F Daulton Siwak was battling a fever Saturday night, and didn't see much ice time against the Blades. This comes after playing maybe his best game of the season Friday night, and picking up his first WHL point to boot.
--------------------
Now some Monday reading:
-Hopefully after a gold medal winning performance in Vancouver, Red Deer legend Jeremy Weatherspoon will call an end to a brilliant speedskating career:
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/speed-skating/news/newsid=21690.html
-One of the most pleasant guys you will ever meet, Sylvan Lake's Lyndon Rush pilots Canada to a bronze on the world cup bobsled circuit:
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/worldcupwatch/sport=bs/newsid=21635.html#everything+coming+together+rush
-Former AAA Midget Optimist Rebel Corey Campbell, who captained the 2007 squad to a silver medal finish at the Telus Cup, scored the OT winner for the AJHL's Olds Grizzlies Sunday night.
-Call me oblivious, but I didn't realize Red Deer's Justin Feser had scored 14 goals already with the Tri-City Americans. Keep it up Justin.
-My pal and I have been playing what we call the "Jordan Eberle game". We check the Regina Pats boxscore at various times, and once learning the score, we predict what Eberle's stat line will be like. Last night, on four Pats goals, he had 2g and 2a. Remarkable.
- Cam Moon and I argued over the weekend as to whether it was good or bad that the Rebels will avoid Eberle later this month when the Pats visit the Enmax Centrium. (He is, after all, going to be with Team Canada preparing for the World Juniors) Mooner says he's glad he won't be in the lineup. Meanwhile, I'm severely disappointed we don't get to see him.
-Red Deer golfer Adrienne White is just one solid round of golf away from acheiving her dream. White heads into the fifth and final round of LPGA Q School this morning in Daytona Beach at two under par, good for a tie for 9th place overall. if she can hold on to a top-20 finish, White will receive priority status on the LPGA tour for the upcoming season.
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