Another .500 weekend for the Rebels.
For some teams, this wouldn't be so bad. But the time for moral victories is quickly running out for this team. They trail Brandon by four points for the final playoff spot in the WHL Eastern Conference (Rebels hold two games at hand).
By all accounts, yesterday's effort in a 4-2 loss to the Hitmen in Calgary was fairly solid. Chris Driedger turned aside 41 of 43 shots for the victory. Mathew Dumba scored his 14th of the season for the Rebels while Tyson Ness chipped in with his 12th. Chase Clayton scored two for Calgary, Jimmy Bubnick and Victor Rask (empty netter) added one each.
The Rebels can take solace in the fact they were much better against the Hitmen in this one than they were last Tuesday (5-1 home ice loss). But they came away with no points... which is what every game comes down to from here on in.
A big week starts on Wednesday night when the Vancouver Giants visit the Enmax Centrium, 7pm game time. League leading Tri-City visits on Friday. Brandon is here on Saturday!
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Great news for Red Deer native Matt Fraser! He has been called up by the Dallas Stars after lighting it up in the AHL so far this season. The 21-year-old former Rebel and Kootenay Ice forward has 21 goals and 14 assists in 35 games this season for the Texas Stars. He was also selected to play in the AHL All Star Game. He could make his NHL debut Tuesday night versus Anaheim.
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Another win yesterday for the Red Deer Midget AAA Optimist Rebels, 3-2 over the Calgary Royals. The Rebs are five points up on the Calgary Flames for first place in the Chrysler (South) Division standings as the league heads into its All-Star Weekend.
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For the first time in six seasons, there will be a new regular season champion in the Chinook Hockey League (Senior AAA). The Bentley Generals were knocked from their five-year perch with a 3-2 loss to the Sylvan Lake Admirals on Friday. The Lloydminster Border Kings (Allan Cup hosts) have wrapped up the regular season crown in their third season in the league. The Admirals look poised to finish third.
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Was great to see a large (and loud) crowd at Red Deer College on Friday night to take in some ACAC volleyball action. The Kings and Queens both looked great in sweeping the SAIT Trojans.
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Do Oilers fire Tom Renney before the end of the season? What is Steve Tambellini's status? Edmonton is in the running to finish dead last for a third straight year.
Do the Flames have a realistic chance of making the playoffs? They sit just two points out of 8th.
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I'm disgusted by some of my fellow 49ers fans who are issuing death threats toward Kyle Williams. Yes, the youngster had an awful day with two costly fumbles in the NFC Championship Game loss to the New York Giants. But they key word here is that it's still just a game! I'd like to think that North American football fans are better than their European soccer counterparts. The fact is that as bad as Williams was on those two plays, the 49ers as a whole simply were not good enough to win. Alex Smith and the offense did not make a single third down conversion through four quarters. Smith completed just one pass to a wide receiver for a paltry three yards. Meantime, Eli Manning stood tall despite being drilled repeatedly by the Niners defense and will get another shot at beating the Patriots in the Superbowl.
Billy Cundiff became the new Ray Finkel with his field goals shank versus New England just moments after Lee Evans dropped what should have been the game winning TD for the Ravens. Both the 49ers and Ravens have long off-seasons of "what if" ahead.
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