They simply lost to a better team.
The effort put forth last night by the Red Deer Rebels would be good enough to beat a lot of teams in the Western Hockey League... but not the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Three goals in the span of 2:04 in the first period ended up being the difference as Edmonton clinched the Eastern Conference pennant with a 5-2 win over the Rebels at the Enmax Centrium. [GAME SUMMARY]
It was a great start to the game for the Rebels. They came out flying and took an early 1-0 lead courtesy of Marc Mackenzie (just his 2nd goal of the season). It was great to see Mackenzie finally find a way to bend the twine as has been a strong presence in the last handful of games that I've seen. I thought he was one of the few bright spots in Tuesday's loss to Calgary.
The Rebels continue to take the play to the Oil Kings. At one point, the shots on goal were something to the tune of 11-5 (sorry, I don't have the exact number written down) and had the momentum.
And then... the game turned on a dime thanks to penalty trouble.
Conner Bleackley was sent off for tripping, allowing the WHL's #2 ranked powerplay to take the ice. And, if that weren't already trouble enough, Alex Petrovic got sent off just 19 seconds later for cross-checking. Yup, trouble.
TJ Foster scored on the 5-on-3 to tie the game 1-1. 30 seconds later Foster scored again to give Edmonton a 2-1 lead.
Old mo had switched sides in a real hurry.
Curtis Lazar then scored again for Edmonton before the end of the period. Three goals in 2:04 made it 3-1 for the Oil Kings. For the rest of the night... the Rebels were in chase mode.
Try as they might, the Reb simply couldn't muster up enough offense to get back in it. Yes, Mason Burr did make it 3-2 late in the second period (congrats to Dexter Bricker for earning his first WHL point with the assist) but the game was never really in doubt once the Oil Kings took the lead.
In the third period, when the Rebels needed to mount their most desperate attack, Edmonton held them to just six shots while firing fourteen of their own on Deven Dubyk.
Simply put... the better team won the game. Not easy for the Rebels and their fans to take... but that's the lay of the land. Give the Rebs credit for another full out effort put forth. Too bad the results didn't match.
Big props go out to the faithful fans who turned out to the Enmax Centrium last night to cheer on their hometown heroes. I can't remember many games in the past few seasons where the electricity in the crowd matched last night's.
NOTES...
The Rebels really are on their last gasp. Saskatoon beat Brandon last night 6-2. The only scenario left for the Rebels to get into the postseason is for them to win all five games they have remaining and to have Brandon lose their remaining four. That would put the Rebels and Wheaties even with 76 points creating a one game tiebreaker to determine who gets the 8th and final playoff spot.
The Rebels visit the Oil Kings tonight in Edmonton. Game time is 7:30pm. Catch the broadcast with Cam Moon on 106.7 The Drive starting at 7:20. It's fan appreciation night for the Oil Kings... word is there will be more that 15,000 fans in attendance at Rexall Place.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
As The Witching Hour Approaches...
With the Rebels hunt for a WHL playoff spot possibly coming to an end tonight... let's take a break and talk about what might be ahead for next season.
Let's start by taking a quick look at the 20's eligible to return next season...
Elson
Inglis
Persson (import)
Kambeitz
Petrovic will most certainly be playing in the AHL next season.
Persson is the x-factor. Should the Islanders decide to sign him now and put him in the AHL or ECHL then that would free up the Rebels to select a skilled forward in the import draft.
Elson I suppose is the other domino to fall. It's quite possible that the Flames will plant him in the AHL next year too (the juggling which Calgary/Abbotsford has had to do because of injuries this week tells shows the Flames organization could always use more forwards).
However... if both Persson and Elson return to the Rebels next season, where does that leave Kambeitz and Inglis? Outside of trying to do too much on his own at times, Inglis has been the Rebels best all-around forward over the last month and half. And considering the Rebels gave up a "top six" forward of their own to get him, Inglis is seemingly a lock to stay... meaning the Captain might be caught in a tough spot.
As for the defence corps... I think we cal all assume that Dumba will be back to anchor the blueline. Petrovic, Weller, and Borejko of course will all be gone. But with the latter two already done due to injuries, the Rebels have a head start on planning for life without them next fall.
Doetzel, Hak, Thiel, and Fafard are all expected to return this fall along with Dumba. Prior to his rib injury, Doetzel showed enough to make me think he will be a solid anchor for the #2 defence pairing. But when it comes to the ginormous amount of ice time that will be made available with Petro's impending departure... the Rebels will likely have to take a 'by committee' approach to filling the void.
But, as 'Section N Deserter' in part pointed out after my blog following the Hitmen game, the resolution of the 20-year-old situation could make acquiring a veteran WHL to help fill the void a definite possibility as well. (I suppose selecting an import defenceman is possible if Persson is gone).
Let's start by taking a quick look at the 20's eligible to return next season...
Elson
Inglis
Persson (import)
Kambeitz
Petrovic will most certainly be playing in the AHL next season.
Persson is the x-factor. Should the Islanders decide to sign him now and put him in the AHL or ECHL then that would free up the Rebels to select a skilled forward in the import draft.
Elson I suppose is the other domino to fall. It's quite possible that the Flames will plant him in the AHL next year too (the juggling which Calgary/Abbotsford has had to do because of injuries this week tells shows the Flames organization could always use more forwards).
However... if both Persson and Elson return to the Rebels next season, where does that leave Kambeitz and Inglis? Outside of trying to do too much on his own at times, Inglis has been the Rebels best all-around forward over the last month and half. And considering the Rebels gave up a "top six" forward of their own to get him, Inglis is seemingly a lock to stay... meaning the Captain might be caught in a tough spot.
As for the defence corps... I think we cal all assume that Dumba will be back to anchor the blueline. Petrovic, Weller, and Borejko of course will all be gone. But with the latter two already done due to injuries, the Rebels have a head start on planning for life without them next fall.
Doetzel, Hak, Thiel, and Fafard are all expected to return this fall along with Dumba. Prior to his rib injury, Doetzel showed enough to make me think he will be a solid anchor for the #2 defence pairing. But when it comes to the ginormous amount of ice time that will be made available with Petro's impending departure... the Rebels will likely have to take a 'by committee' approach to filling the void.
But, as 'Section N Deserter' in part pointed out after my blog following the Hitmen game, the resolution of the 20-year-old situation could make acquiring a veteran WHL to help fill the void a definite possibility as well. (I suppose selecting an import defenceman is possible if Persson is gone).
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Hitmen Push Rebels To The Brink
You can moves the doomsday clock another tick closer to midnight for the Red Deer Rebels.
Once again, the Rebels played hard but came up short in a 3-2 to the Calgary Hitmen last night at the Enmax Centrium.
That reduces the Rebels elimenation number to four... meaning any combination of points gained by the Brandon Wheat Kings and/or lost by the Rebels will elimenate the local hockey heroes from WHL playoff contention. More simply... a Wheaties win combined with a Rebels loss in regulation closes the lid.
One could look at last night as another case of the Rebels putting forth a solid effort but coming away with nothing to show for it. Mind you, GM and Head Coach Jesse Wallin wasn't particularly sold on his team's effort last night...
"We just seemed to give them a little bit too much respect and too much time and space in our zone. Didn't finish enough checks to get the puck back. In the end we allowed them to score too easily."
One could say the Rebels were lacking a certain 'excellence in execution' versus the Hitmen.
The Hitmen fired 43 shots on goal last night. Not good enough if you're a team needing to win at all costs (the Rebels had 35 shots last night).
Rather than keep hashing on the nearing of the end for the Rebels... here are some good things from last night's game...
- Marc Mackenzie played one of his best games (that I've seen) as a Rebel. Not counted on to be an offensive leader, Mackenzie had a number of great scoring chances last night. He even showed some slick hands while making some nice moves to create his opportunities. Mackenzie was also a force down low and was effective in cycling the puck in Hitmen territory on numerous shifts. A nice effort last night by #27.
- Dexter Bricker gave us another glimpse of the play that will surely make him a fan favorite next season. The 16-year-old call up laid a solid jolt on 19-year-old Hitmen foward Cody Sylvester in the first period last night. Sylvester didn't really like that very much and challenged Bricker to a duel. They dropped the mitts but no real blows were landed. Regardless, Bricker is the kind of player who plays without fear and who loves to stir things up on the ice. Look for him to bring that on a nightly basis next season.
- Deven Dubyk, as per usual, was solid between the pipes and gave the Rebels a chance to win. He couldn't be faulted for at least two of Calgary's three goals as they came from rebound opportunities on which his teammates failed to get the puck out of harm's way. It won't rank highly when it comes all-time Rebels performances... but Dubyk's work this season has been nothing short of exemplary.
Next game for the Rebels... Friday night at home versus Edmonton.
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Jocelyn Peterman and her Red Deer rink continue to roll at the World Junior Championship in Sweden.
They beat Russia 10-6 earlier this morning to improve their record to 6-1, tied for first place with Sweden.
Of note, Peterman's win came over Anna Sidorova who skipped Russia's team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
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Once again, the Rebels played hard but came up short in a 3-2 to the Calgary Hitmen last night at the Enmax Centrium.
That reduces the Rebels elimenation number to four... meaning any combination of points gained by the Brandon Wheat Kings and/or lost by the Rebels will elimenate the local hockey heroes from WHL playoff contention. More simply... a Wheaties win combined with a Rebels loss in regulation closes the lid.
One could look at last night as another case of the Rebels putting forth a solid effort but coming away with nothing to show for it. Mind you, GM and Head Coach Jesse Wallin wasn't particularly sold on his team's effort last night...
"We just seemed to give them a little bit too much respect and too much time and space in our zone. Didn't finish enough checks to get the puck back. In the end we allowed them to score too easily."
One could say the Rebels were lacking a certain 'excellence in execution' versus the Hitmen.
The Hitmen fired 43 shots on goal last night. Not good enough if you're a team needing to win at all costs (the Rebels had 35 shots last night).
Rather than keep hashing on the nearing of the end for the Rebels... here are some good things from last night's game...
- Marc Mackenzie played one of his best games (that I've seen) as a Rebel. Not counted on to be an offensive leader, Mackenzie had a number of great scoring chances last night. He even showed some slick hands while making some nice moves to create his opportunities. Mackenzie was also a force down low and was effective in cycling the puck in Hitmen territory on numerous shifts. A nice effort last night by #27.
- Dexter Bricker gave us another glimpse of the play that will surely make him a fan favorite next season. The 16-year-old call up laid a solid jolt on 19-year-old Hitmen foward Cody Sylvester in the first period last night. Sylvester didn't really like that very much and challenged Bricker to a duel. They dropped the mitts but no real blows were landed. Regardless, Bricker is the kind of player who plays without fear and who loves to stir things up on the ice. Look for him to bring that on a nightly basis next season.
- Deven Dubyk, as per usual, was solid between the pipes and gave the Rebels a chance to win. He couldn't be faulted for at least two of Calgary's three goals as they came from rebound opportunities on which his teammates failed to get the puck out of harm's way. It won't rank highly when it comes all-time Rebels performances... but Dubyk's work this season has been nothing short of exemplary.
Next game for the Rebels... Friday night at home versus Edmonton.
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Jocelyn Peterman and her Red Deer rink continue to roll at the World Junior Championship in Sweden.
They beat Russia 10-6 earlier this morning to improve their record to 6-1, tied for first place with Sweden.
Of note, Peterman's win came over Anna Sidorova who skipped Russia's team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
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Sunday, March 4, 2012
Rebels - Bucked By The Broncos, Clip The Blades
At a time when they need every win available... it was another one of those frustrating 'lose one, win one' weekends for the Red Deer Rebels.
Friday night saw the Rebels finally return to the Enmax Centrium after an eight game road trip that covered three provinces and well over 6,000km. They were anxious to get back on the horse in front of their hometown fans with a win over the Swift Current Broncos.
Unfortunately, Jon Groenheyde had other ideas in mind.
He wasn't necessarily spectacular, but he was steady and in full control in a 4-0 Broncos win. It's just the second shutout of Groenheyde's career and second this season. Funny enough, both goose eggs have come against the Rebels. His 45 saves on Friday were the most by any WHL goaltender in a shutout performance this season.
For the Rebels... it was a game where they appeared hungry, but not hungry enough. Very few of their 45 shots were ones where the Rebels forced the issue by getting to a rebound or crashing the net. In other words, they did a good job of getting the initial shot away but not such a good job of following up.
In the end, the Rebels found themselves swept away by Speedy Creek in the season series four games to none. Needless to say those are eight valuable points in the standings. Just imagine how the Rebels playoffs chances would look had they managed to split the season series or better.
Saturday night... the Rebels had a chance to get back on track against a team they've played quite well against this season. Also working in the Rebs favour, the Saskatoon Blades came in having lost four of their last five games including 4-3 in OT in Calgary on Friday. And, much like their rivals from Red Deer, the Blades have been dealing with some injury trouble in recent weeks.
It didn't look good early when the Rebels squandered a pair of powerplay opportunities before giving up the first goal of the game to the Blades. The Rebels failed to score a goal in the first four and a half periods playing back at the Enmax Centrium. Thankfully, Bolton Pouliot held the boys in with a solid performance between the pipes (more on that in a future blog).
But that finally changed when Mat Dumba set up Chad Robinson for a pretty shorthanded goal to tie the game 1-1. Red Deer then failed to score on a pair of late second period 5-on-3 powerplays but you could see some confidence brewing as the third period arrived.
The Blades seemed to be a bit tired and the Rebels took advantage. Adam Kambeitz game his team the lead for good with a powerplay goal at 4:24 of the final frame. John Persson added an insurance marker and Dumba provided an empty netter for a 4-1 Rebels win.
Now we can't talk about the Rebels desperate playoff chase without talking about last night's game between the two teams Red Deer is chasing... the Regina Pats and Brandon Wheat Kings. The Rebs went into last night trailing Regina by nine points for the eighth and final playoff spot.
And for much of the night it appeared that Red Deer would be closing that gap to seven points. They had taken care of their own business by beating the Blades and the Wheaties appeared to be in cruise control leading Regina 4-0 in the third period.
But former Rebel Lane Scheidl got the Pats on the board 3:27 into the final period... and by the time the 10-minute park had past Regina came all the way back for a 5-4 lead. They added an empty netter for a remarkable 6-4 victory.
So... instead of gaining two points on Regina to sit seven points out of the playoffs, the Rebels gain two points on Brandon and sit eight points out. More frustration to say the least.
And here's a handy little stat courtesy of @WHLfacts on Twitter... Top 4 WHL Records Over The Last 10 Games: Portland (9-0-1-0), Moose Jaw (7-2-0-1), Regina (7-2-0-1), Brandon (7-2-0-1)... the last two don't come as good news for the Rebels.
From the 'wouldn't it be nice' file @WHLfacts adds this nugget... Eventhough @Rebelshockey are 8 points out of a playoff spot, they can still mathematically finish as high as 5th in the Eastern Conference.
Sigh... if only.
Anyhoo... it really was great to see the Rebels win one at home last night. They hope to do the same Tuesday night when the Calgary Hitmen come calling.
Tomorrow on this here blog... I'll have more on the Rebels along with thoughts on the Bentley Generals, Midget AAA Optimist Rebels, and the latest from RDC Athletics.
On a personal note... thanks to all of you for checking out there here blog. Apparently, there are quite a few of you dropping by to make this one of Red Deer's busiest blogs. I haven't even had to offer any bribes haha. Thanks for reading and feel free to spread the word.
Cheers!
TG
Friday night saw the Rebels finally return to the Enmax Centrium after an eight game road trip that covered three provinces and well over 6,000km. They were anxious to get back on the horse in front of their hometown fans with a win over the Swift Current Broncos.
Unfortunately, Jon Groenheyde had other ideas in mind.
He wasn't necessarily spectacular, but he was steady and in full control in a 4-0 Broncos win. It's just the second shutout of Groenheyde's career and second this season. Funny enough, both goose eggs have come against the Rebels. His 45 saves on Friday were the most by any WHL goaltender in a shutout performance this season.
For the Rebels... it was a game where they appeared hungry, but not hungry enough. Very few of their 45 shots were ones where the Rebels forced the issue by getting to a rebound or crashing the net. In other words, they did a good job of getting the initial shot away but not such a good job of following up.
In the end, the Rebels found themselves swept away by Speedy Creek in the season series four games to none. Needless to say those are eight valuable points in the standings. Just imagine how the Rebels playoffs chances would look had they managed to split the season series or better.
Saturday night... the Rebels had a chance to get back on track against a team they've played quite well against this season. Also working in the Rebs favour, the Saskatoon Blades came in having lost four of their last five games including 4-3 in OT in Calgary on Friday. And, much like their rivals from Red Deer, the Blades have been dealing with some injury trouble in recent weeks.
It didn't look good early when the Rebels squandered a pair of powerplay opportunities before giving up the first goal of the game to the Blades. The Rebels failed to score a goal in the first four and a half periods playing back at the Enmax Centrium. Thankfully, Bolton Pouliot held the boys in with a solid performance between the pipes (more on that in a future blog).
But that finally changed when Mat Dumba set up Chad Robinson for a pretty shorthanded goal to tie the game 1-1. Red Deer then failed to score on a pair of late second period 5-on-3 powerplays but you could see some confidence brewing as the third period arrived.
The Blades seemed to be a bit tired and the Rebels took advantage. Adam Kambeitz game his team the lead for good with a powerplay goal at 4:24 of the final frame. John Persson added an insurance marker and Dumba provided an empty netter for a 4-1 Rebels win.
Now we can't talk about the Rebels desperate playoff chase without talking about last night's game between the two teams Red Deer is chasing... the Regina Pats and Brandon Wheat Kings. The Rebs went into last night trailing Regina by nine points for the eighth and final playoff spot.
And for much of the night it appeared that Red Deer would be closing that gap to seven points. They had taken care of their own business by beating the Blades and the Wheaties appeared to be in cruise control leading Regina 4-0 in the third period.
But former Rebel Lane Scheidl got the Pats on the board 3:27 into the final period... and by the time the 10-minute park had past Regina came all the way back for a 5-4 lead. They added an empty netter for a remarkable 6-4 victory.
So... instead of gaining two points on Regina to sit seven points out of the playoffs, the Rebels gain two points on Brandon and sit eight points out. More frustration to say the least.
And here's a handy little stat courtesy of @WHLfacts on Twitter... Top 4 WHL Records Over The Last 10 Games: Portland (9-0-1-0), Moose Jaw (7-2-0-1), Regina (7-2-0-1), Brandon (7-2-0-1)... the last two don't come as good news for the Rebels.
From the 'wouldn't it be nice' file @WHLfacts adds this nugget... Eventhough @Rebelshockey are 8 points out of a playoff spot, they can still mathematically finish as high as 5th in the Eastern Conference.
Sigh... if only.
Anyhoo... it really was great to see the Rebels win one at home last night. They hope to do the same Tuesday night when the Calgary Hitmen come calling.
Tomorrow on this here blog... I'll have more on the Rebels along with thoughts on the Bentley Generals, Midget AAA Optimist Rebels, and the latest from RDC Athletics.
On a personal note... thanks to all of you for checking out there here blog. Apparently, there are quite a few of you dropping by to make this one of Red Deer's busiest blogs. I haven't even had to offer any bribes haha. Thanks for reading and feel free to spread the word.
Cheers!
TG
Friday, March 2, 2012
Friday On My Mind
Friday On My Mind. The Easybeats. I frickin' love that song.
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The finalists for the 2012 Red Deer Community Sport Awards have been announced...
JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Nick Marchuk
- Brett Pasula
- Mathew Dumba
JUNIOR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Jordan Hudson
- Emma MacDermaid
- Molly Li
OPEN MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Darcy Kuemper
- Keegan Soehn
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
OPEN FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Zina Kocher
- Julie Young
- Jodi Sanguin
TEAM OF THE YEAR
- Lindsay Thurber Raiders, bantam football
- Midget AAA Optimist Rebels, hockey
- Team [Jocelyn] Peterman, curling
The winners will be announced next Friday at the annual community sport awards banquet presented by the Red Deer Primary Care Network. Visit the Sport Council of Red Deer website for more details.
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Here is the full list of 2012 honourees for the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum..
Barb Clark Parolin - Swimming Athlete, Stettler
Blythe Hartley - Diving Athlete, Calgary
Dale Henwood - Multisport Builder, Red Deer
Edward Molstad - Football Builder, Edmonton
Bob Niven - Multisport Builder, Calgary
Russ Parker - Baseball Builder, Calgary
Larry Robinson - Rodeo Athlete, Innisfail
Michael Slipchuk - Skating Athlete/Builder, Edmonton
Gary Deman - Achievement Award, Calgary
Lorne Starko - Bell Memorial (media), Red Deer
The induction banquet takes place May 25th in Red Deer
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The Bentley Generals five year run as Senior AAA Provincial Champions could come to an end tonight. The Gens host the Horse Lake Chiefs, trailing their best-of-seven semifinal series three games to one. Game time in Bentley is set for 8:30pm. It would be quite a culture shock for the Generals and their fans (aka The Army) as this team has made of habit of extending their season well into April (playing in each of the last four Allan Cup championship games).
The Innisfail Eagles host Carstairs for game four of their Senior A/AA playoff series at 8pm. Carstairs leads the series three games to none.
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The RDC Queens will also try to keep their season alive tonight when they visit Mount Royal. The Cougars lead the best-of-five ACAC semifinal two games to none.
Also tonight... Kings Basketball takes on Grant MacEwan at the ACAC Final Four at Mount Royal.
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The finalists for the 2012 Red Deer Community Sport Awards have been announced...
JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Nick Marchuk
- Brett Pasula
- Mathew Dumba
JUNIOR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Jordan Hudson
- Emma MacDermaid
- Molly Li
OPEN MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Darcy Kuemper
- Keegan Soehn
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
OPEN FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- Zina Kocher
- Julie Young
- Jodi Sanguin
TEAM OF THE YEAR
- Lindsay Thurber Raiders, bantam football
- Midget AAA Optimist Rebels, hockey
- Team [Jocelyn] Peterman, curling
The winners will be announced next Friday at the annual community sport awards banquet presented by the Red Deer Primary Care Network. Visit the Sport Council of Red Deer website for more details.
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Here is the full list of 2012 honourees for the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum..
Barb Clark Parolin - Swimming Athlete, Stettler
Blythe Hartley - Diving Athlete, Calgary
Dale Henwood - Multisport Builder, Red Deer
Edward Molstad - Football Builder, Edmonton
Bob Niven - Multisport Builder, Calgary
Russ Parker - Baseball Builder, Calgary
Larry Robinson - Rodeo Athlete, Innisfail
Michael Slipchuk - Skating Athlete/Builder, Edmonton
Gary Deman - Achievement Award, Calgary
Lorne Starko - Bell Memorial (media), Red Deer
The induction banquet takes place May 25th in Red Deer
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The Bentley Generals five year run as Senior AAA Provincial Champions could come to an end tonight. The Gens host the Horse Lake Chiefs, trailing their best-of-seven semifinal series three games to one. Game time in Bentley is set for 8:30pm. It would be quite a culture shock for the Generals and their fans (aka The Army) as this team has made of habit of extending their season well into April (playing in each of the last four Allan Cup championship games).
The Innisfail Eagles host Carstairs for game four of their Senior A/AA playoff series at 8pm. Carstairs leads the series three games to none.
---
The RDC Queens will also try to keep their season alive tonight when they visit Mount Royal. The Cougars lead the best-of-five ACAC semifinal two games to none.
Also tonight... Kings Basketball takes on Grant MacEwan at the ACAC Final Four at Mount Royal.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
TNT (Thursday Night Thoughts)
A huge smile came across my face today when I found out that my dear late friend Lorne Starko is being honoured by the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
"Coach" Starko, who left us way too early in 2009, is this year's recipient of the Bell Memorial Award which is given each year by the HOF to a distinguished member of Alberta's sports media. Coach is more than deserving of this award for his thirty-plus years of dedicated, passionate coverage of the Red Deer sports scene. Radio. TV. Newspapers. Lorne did it all... and he did it with a smile on his face. Although we all miss him dearly we are all proud of Lorne Starko for the honour he is receiving.
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The Rebels latest injury to forward Turner Elson has left me feeling disappointed in more ways than one.
Firstly, I am disappointed that Turner will be missing both of this weekend's games and quite possibly beyond. He has been a real spark plug for this team on the ice all season long. Off the ice he is one of the "go to" guys when it comes to interviews and can always be counted on for a great sound bite... but that's for me to have to deal with I suppose. Bottom line, its another devastating blow to a Rebels team desperately trying to find a way into the postseason.
Secondly, I am disappointed in the Western Hockey League for its handling of the hit that led to Elson's injury. It occurred in the first period of Tuesday night's game in Moose Jaw as the Warriors' Kenton Miller comes in and drives Elson's head into the glass while he was playing the puck. (you can view the hit at the end of the game's highlight reel at whl.ca) Miller was given just a one game suspension for the hit... not cool!
After watching the hit a couple dozen times, it is clear to me that Miller got off lucky by only being dinged one game. On the play, he targets Elson's head as the primary point of contact and actually rises up as he drives Turner's head into the glass. After some of the multiple game suspensions we have seen the league hand out this season, most notably for the Rebels a six-gamer given to Elson himself and a four-gamer to Petrovic for some dangerous hits last November, a one game suspension in this case is simply unacceptable. So much for taking a hard line stance when it comes to addressing head shots. I admit that supplementary discipline is a touchy issue, but the WHL dropped the ball with this one.
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Sticking with the Rebels... I had a chance to visit today with both Jesse Wallin and Adam Kambeitz before they stepped on the ice for practice.
It goes without saying that Kambeitz is thrilled to be back in the Rebels line up after missing a month with a sprained ankle. The fact that he returned ahead of schedule is an added bonus (his original target date to return was tomorrow vs. Swift Current).
In regards to the Rebels push for a playoff spot, Kambeitz says the players are still feeling loose and feeling confident.
"There's no point in being uptight about anything" noted the Rebels Captain. "We still have an opportunity to make the playoffs and we fully believe in our dressing room that we are going to make the playoffs this year. Obviously we need some help from some other teams. But I think we're just gonna try to stay lose and stay positive and what's gonna happen is gonna happen."
For his part, Wallin is glad to see that his players are taking things in stride as they go about their business.
"We've been trying to approach things that way for the last few weeks. We all understand the situation we're in but squeezing the sticks isn't gonna help any. We know we've got a mountain to climb and we have to take care of our end of the bargain and get all the points that we can."
Admirable talk from the coach and the captain. Unfortunately, the both admit that winning their games isn't enough anymore. They need help, and lots of it, from the out of town scoreboard to erase their eight point deficit.
Here is the full audio from my chats today...
- Jesse Wallin
- Adam Kambeitz
"Coach" Starko, who left us way too early in 2009, is this year's recipient of the Bell Memorial Award which is given each year by the HOF to a distinguished member of Alberta's sports media. Coach is more than deserving of this award for his thirty-plus years of dedicated, passionate coverage of the Red Deer sports scene. Radio. TV. Newspapers. Lorne did it all... and he did it with a smile on his face. Although we all miss him dearly we are all proud of Lorne Starko for the honour he is receiving.
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The Rebels latest injury to forward Turner Elson has left me feeling disappointed in more ways than one.
Firstly, I am disappointed that Turner will be missing both of this weekend's games and quite possibly beyond. He has been a real spark plug for this team on the ice all season long. Off the ice he is one of the "go to" guys when it comes to interviews and can always be counted on for a great sound bite... but that's for me to have to deal with I suppose. Bottom line, its another devastating blow to a Rebels team desperately trying to find a way into the postseason.
Secondly, I am disappointed in the Western Hockey League for its handling of the hit that led to Elson's injury. It occurred in the first period of Tuesday night's game in Moose Jaw as the Warriors' Kenton Miller comes in and drives Elson's head into the glass while he was playing the puck. (you can view the hit at the end of the game's highlight reel at whl.ca) Miller was given just a one game suspension for the hit... not cool!
After watching the hit a couple dozen times, it is clear to me that Miller got off lucky by only being dinged one game. On the play, he targets Elson's head as the primary point of contact and actually rises up as he drives Turner's head into the glass. After some of the multiple game suspensions we have seen the league hand out this season, most notably for the Rebels a six-gamer given to Elson himself and a four-gamer to Petrovic for some dangerous hits last November, a one game suspension in this case is simply unacceptable. So much for taking a hard line stance when it comes to addressing head shots. I admit that supplementary discipline is a touchy issue, but the WHL dropped the ball with this one.
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Sticking with the Rebels... I had a chance to visit today with both Jesse Wallin and Adam Kambeitz before they stepped on the ice for practice.
It goes without saying that Kambeitz is thrilled to be back in the Rebels line up after missing a month with a sprained ankle. The fact that he returned ahead of schedule is an added bonus (his original target date to return was tomorrow vs. Swift Current).
In regards to the Rebels push for a playoff spot, Kambeitz says the players are still feeling loose and feeling confident.
"There's no point in being uptight about anything" noted the Rebels Captain. "We still have an opportunity to make the playoffs and we fully believe in our dressing room that we are going to make the playoffs this year. Obviously we need some help from some other teams. But I think we're just gonna try to stay lose and stay positive and what's gonna happen is gonna happen."
For his part, Wallin is glad to see that his players are taking things in stride as they go about their business.
"We've been trying to approach things that way for the last few weeks. We all understand the situation we're in but squeezing the sticks isn't gonna help any. We know we've got a mountain to climb and we have to take care of our end of the bargain and get all the points that we can."
Admirable talk from the coach and the captain. Unfortunately, the both admit that winning their games isn't enough anymore. They need help, and lots of it, from the out of town scoreboard to erase their eight point deficit.
Here is the full audio from my chats today...
- Jesse Wallin
- Adam Kambeitz
Rebels Kings in Queen City
I suppose you can say that the Red Deer Rebels deserve a 'pat on the back' after their latest win.
Tyson Ness led the way with a goal and an assist as the Rebels beat the Regina Pats last night by a score of 3-2.
The Rebels end their eight game Scotties-induced road trip with a 4-3-1 record. Pretty good by typical standards. But with the Rebels being in the desperate situation that they are in... nine out of a possible sixteen simply isn't enough to help their cause. They are eight points out of a playoff spot with nine games left on their schedule.
Regardless, last night's game was a nice way for GM / Head Coach Jesse Wallin and crew to finish off their extended time away from the Enmax Centrium...
"Just a real gutsy effort at the end of a long trip like this. Feels live we've been gone for two and a half months more so than two and a half weeks. It sometimes can be tough to be engaged at the end of a trip like that and I thought the boys were focused and played really well."
Wallin made particular mention of Ness' solid outing, which earned him first star honours...
"Tenacious. Nesser played the way he does. He was good on the forecheck and good on the penalty kill. He blocked shots and is a talented player and it was good to see him get rewarded with a goal."
Brooks Maxwell and Chad Robinson also scored last night for the Rebels while Deven Dubyk made 20 saves.
Dominik Volek and Jordan Weal each scored powerplay goals for the Pats, who missed out on a chance to move past Saskatoon and into fifth place in the conference.
The Rebels pulled back into town at around 5:30 this morning so today will be rather low key. They return to action at the Enmax Centrium tomorrow night versus Swift Current and Saturday versus Saskatoon.
INJURY NOTE - was hoping to get through the rest of the regular season without having to talk about yet another injury to yet another Rebels veteran, but alas here are... Turner Elson missed last night's game, and will be out for the foreseeable future, after having his bell rung by a hit from behind from Moose Jaw's Kenton Miller on Tuesday. Here's hoping it's nothing serious but it sounds like he could be out a while.
Tyson Ness led the way with a goal and an assist as the Rebels beat the Regina Pats last night by a score of 3-2.
The Rebels end their eight game Scotties-induced road trip with a 4-3-1 record. Pretty good by typical standards. But with the Rebels being in the desperate situation that they are in... nine out of a possible sixteen simply isn't enough to help their cause. They are eight points out of a playoff spot with nine games left on their schedule.
Regardless, last night's game was a nice way for GM / Head Coach Jesse Wallin and crew to finish off their extended time away from the Enmax Centrium...
"Just a real gutsy effort at the end of a long trip like this. Feels live we've been gone for two and a half months more so than two and a half weeks. It sometimes can be tough to be engaged at the end of a trip like that and I thought the boys were focused and played really well."
Wallin made particular mention of Ness' solid outing, which earned him first star honours...
"Tenacious. Nesser played the way he does. He was good on the forecheck and good on the penalty kill. He blocked shots and is a talented player and it was good to see him get rewarded with a goal."
Brooks Maxwell and Chad Robinson also scored last night for the Rebels while Deven Dubyk made 20 saves.
Dominik Volek and Jordan Weal each scored powerplay goals for the Pats, who missed out on a chance to move past Saskatoon and into fifth place in the conference.
The Rebels pulled back into town at around 5:30 this morning so today will be rather low key. They return to action at the Enmax Centrium tomorrow night versus Swift Current and Saturday versus Saskatoon.
INJURY NOTE - was hoping to get through the rest of the regular season without having to talk about yet another injury to yet another Rebels veteran, but alas here are... Turner Elson missed last night's game, and will be out for the foreseeable future, after having his bell rung by a hit from behind from Moose Jaw's Kenton Miller on Tuesday. Here's hoping it's nothing serious but it sounds like he could be out a while.
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