Faze Times Pretty Good These Days, Polei Express Send Shockwaves

Truth being told… I meant to write about Scott Feser on Tuesday but, as luck would have it, I simply didn’t get the time.

Thankfully, for me, this write up is timelier following Feser’s two point performance in the Rebels 4-3 shootout win last night over the Brandon Wheat Kings [GAME STORY] for which he was named as the game’s 1st star.

Feser worked a perfect give-and-go to set up Presten Kopeck for the game’s opening goal then later banged home a slick pass from Haydn Fleury for his 6th goal of the season (in his 24th game played).

It’s quickly developing into a great story. A hometown Red Deer kid comes back after being sent down to Junior A for the second time in as many seasons and makes the best of his opportunity.

REBELS: Big Weekend Ahead

With the spectacle that was the Subway Super Series now in the books, the focus for junior hockey fans in Central Alberta returns squarely on the exploits of the Red Deer Rebels.

The Rebels are coming off of what was perhaps their best home effort of the season thus far, definitely their best since their return from November’s ArgiTrade induced road trip.  My question for Lukas Sutter on Thursday, what was the key to success that night?

The New Look Rebels - So Far, So Good

There is a long, long way to go before we're able to pass final judgement on Brent Sutter's work as Red Deer Rebels General Manager this season.

That being said, the early returns for his wheeling and dealing are looking good.  Very good.  And the possibility for long term benefits from these moves should have Rebels fans feeling pretty darn good about what the boss has been up to.

RED DEER OPTIMIST REBELS - 2012 TELUS CUP CHAMPS!

Simply put... it was the most remarkable comeback I have ever seen in a championship game.  Any sport.  Any level.

Fit To Be Tied - Telus Cup Top Teams Remain Unbeaten

No fear.

That's the lesson Head Coach Doug Quinn says his team learned on Thursday.  Play with no fear.

The Red Deer Optimist Rebels took on Phenix College du Esther-Blondin in a battle of unbeaten teams, and a possible gold medal game preview, and came away with a 2-2 tie.

Red Deer held a 2-0 lead going into the final period until Esther-Blondin scored twice in the span of 4:24 to even the match.  And while the point lost in the standings wasn't critical for the baby rebels, the lesson learned in the process certainly was.

Optimist Rebels Clinch Playoff Spot

In a game in which five-on-five play was as rare as a bad episode of Seinfeld, the Red Deer Optimist Rebels came up huge on special teams.

Ty Mappin scored shorthanded, Nick Glackin and Scott Feser each scored on the powerplay as the baby rebels edged the host Leduc Oil Kings 3-2 at the Telus Cup national midget championship on Wednesday.

Optimist Rebels Make Contact But Settle For Tie

For whatever reason, the Red Deer Optimist Rebels simply weren't themselves to start the game.

But in the end they showed enough of their regular selves to pull out a 2-2 tie versus the Saskatoon Contacts in the opening game at the 2012 Telus Cup in Leduc.

Red Deer Head Coach Doug Quinn said his team did do well to overcome their shaky start.

"I thought we were a little bit nervous in the first period.  We settled in in the second period and created some pressure and had a good third [period]."

Scott Feser, who scored the game-tying goal in the third period, wasn't exactly sure why his team started the game so poorly (the Optimist Rebels trailed 2-0 after the first period).

"It's obviously been a couple weeks since we played a game and it's a pretty big tournament.  So I don't know if a few guys were nervous.  It could be nerves but it's good to get that first one over and I think we should be able to push forward now."

Slow start aside, Monday's game was like many others we've seen throughout the baby Rebels postseason.  It was a game in which they badly outshot (40-18) and outplayed their opponents yet ended up in a tight game.  Playing against a fairly high scoring Contacts team, Quinn was pleased with his squad's defensive play.

"We knew that they had a lot of skill.  We certainly wanted to make sure that we played a pressure game and didn't give them opportunities and space to handle the puck.  I thought for the most part, once we adjusted to their quickness, we did that in the second and third periods."

Josh Uhrich opened the scoring for Saskatoon 6:27 into the game with a well-placed shot that seemingly fooled Red Deer goalie Dasan Sydora (he hardly flinched as the shot went off his shoulder and beat him top shelf).  Rourke Chartier made it 2-0 with a powerplay goal at 15:44.

The Optimist Rebels finally broke through late in the second period on their 26th shot of the game.  Brady Bakke fired on net, Contacts goalie Mack Shields made the save, but Nick Glackin was there to put home the rebound for a shorthanded goal at 15:50.  The goal set the stage for complete Red Deer dominance the rest of the way.

Shields was outstanding between the pipes for Saskatoon.  He did everything he could to try and steal the win for his club.  And it started to look like he would do just that until Feser tipped Cole Berreth's point shot out of mid-air and past Shields 6:16 into the final frame.  Neither team was able to find the go-ahead goal from there and settled for a single point in the standings.

The Optimist Rebels are back in action today at 4pm vs. Moncton.

In other Telus Cup action on Monday... Phénix du Collège Esther-Blondin beat the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves 6-2 and the host Leduc Oil Kings knocked off the Moncton Flyers 5-4.

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Sticking with our theme from my previous blog... here are my thoughts on how the four Red Deer Rebels prospects fared in yesterday's game (as they auditioned for Rebels assistant coaches Chris Neiszner and Bryce Thoma who were both in attendance)...

Scott Feser, Red Deer (F) - Game-tying goal aside, Feser did a fairly good job of creating scoring chances throughout the game.  He certainly seemed more comfortable versus Saskatoon than he did in either game of the pacific regional final versus Vancouver.  Scott, like the rest of the Optimist Rebels, should look even more comfortable starting today now that the opening game jitters are out of the way.

Scott Ferguson, Red Deer (F) - Personally, I thought Ferguson played the best game out of any forward on the ice.  Every time he was on the ice, Ferguson either had the puck on his stick or was getting it to his line mates for scoring chances.  Scott also used his size (6'0 182lbs) to create havoc in the corners for Saskatoon defenders.  The Optimist Rebels will definitely benefit if Ferguson can maintain a high level of play throughout the rest of the week.

Vukie Mpofu, Saskatoon (D) - While Joel Topping was clearly the best defenceman on the ice for either team, Mpofu definitely led the charge for the Contacts group of bluelines.  I have no official stats, but I'd be willing to bet that Vukie played in excess of 25 minutes in the game.  His small small stature works against him, but Mpofu stood in tough against Optimist Rebels forecheckers.  He also was effective at moving the puck ahead to his forwards.  Speaking with him after the game, Mpofu is happy with how his game has progressed throughout the season, "I think not only myself but a lot of our [Contacts] young players grew a lot.  I think it [qualifying for Telus Cup] has got us really ready to maybe make the jump to the WHL next year."

Rod Southam, Saskatoon (F) - Yesterday's game was not an overly physical affair, which didn't play well into Southam's power forward style.  But he didn't look horribly out of place and didn't hurt himself at all in the way of turnovers and such.  A harder hitting game will help Southam better show off what he has to offer.  Southam told me he is happy with his development this season, having gotten bigger and stronger and quicker on his feet.  He says there is no secret to what his game is all about, "I like to hit and bring the body and be a physical presence out there."

Rebels Prospects To Do Battle In Leduc - UPDATED**

**IN MY ORIGINAL VERSION OF THIS POST I HELD OFF OF MENTIONING SCOTT FERGUSON UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM A FEW DETAILS I WAS LOOKING FOR.  I HAVE NOW INCLUDED FERGUSON IN THIS VERSION UPDATED MONDAY EVENING**

While four weeks of campaigning in the Alberta provincial election has come to an end (please... get out and vote on Monday!) a foursome of Red Deer Rebels will be some campaigning of their own this week in Leduc.

The Red Deer Optimist Rebels are representing the Pacific Region at this week's Telus Cup national midget championship tournament.  The Optimist Rebels feature forwards Scott Ferguson, taken by the Red Deer Rebels in the 6th round (122nd overall) of the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft, and Scott Feser, selected by his hometown Rebels in the 8th round (166th overall) in the same draft.

The Saskatoon Contacts are in Leduc representing the West Region and feature two Rebels drafted players.  Defenceman Vukie Mpofu was selected in the 4th round (87th overall) in last year's bantam draft while forward Rodney Southam was selected by the Rebels in the 6th round (131st) overall.

It just so happens that the Optimist Rebels and Contacts meet in the opening game of the tournament (Monday, 12:30pm) meaning fans of the big Rebels will get an early look at their potential future players.  Here's a quick look at all four...

SCOTT FESER (F) - 5'10 170lbs, 01/05/1995, Red Deer AB
Feser finished second on the Red Deer Optimist Rebels in regular season scoring with 40 points (18 G, 22 A) in 49 games played.  He followed that up by leading all AMHL skaters with 11 points (8G, 3A) in 10 games. Scott was held pointless in the two game pacific region final versus the Vancouver NW Giants.  Feser was called up to the WHL Rebels this past season, playing nine games and collecting two assists.  His older brother Justin is a star player for the Tri-City Americans.


SCOTT FERGUSON (F) - 6'0 182lbs, 04/22/1995, Red Deer ABSize is definitely one of Ferguson's strongest assets.  He used his frame to record a respectable 23 points (12G, 11A) in 33 regular season games and another 7 points (2G, 5A) in 12 playoff games.  Ferguson was not called up by the big Rebels this season but did appear in three games with the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL.  He did not record a point for Camrose in those games.
 

VUKIE MPOFU (D) - 5'9, 165lbs, 18/02/1996, Saskatoon SK
When it came to scoring during the Saskatchewan Midget AAA regular season, Vukie finished fourth among Contacts defencemen with 19 points (7G, 12A) in 43 games played.  He also racked up 45 penalty minutes.  Mpofu followed up with 6 points (2G, 4A) in 16 playoff games played for the Contacts, good for second among team blueliners.





 







RODNEY SOUTHAM (F) - 5'10, 170lbs, 08/09/1996, Saskatoon SKNot a particularly dominant force offensively, Southam was 10th in Contacts team scoring this season with 23 points (12G, 11A) in 43 games played.  But if penalty minutes are any indication, he ranked 4th on the team and 2nd among forwards with 93PIM, Southam isn't afraid to throw his weight around (he's not overwhelmingly big but 170lbs will still get you places).  Southam had just one assist and 16 penalty minutes in 17 playoff games for the Contacts.


Admittedly, it's easier to get a read on Feser having watched him play numerous times this season.  It will be interesting to watch Mpofu and Southam in action today.  A good showing by both players would serve them well heading into Rebels Prospects Camp this June.

You can follow the Telus Cup on Twitter @HC_TelusCup and online at hockeycanada.ca

TG