DePape Arrives In Red Deer

Jordan DePape skates Tuesday

After being signed by the Rebels at the WHL trade deadline on January 10th, Jordan DePape is finally in Red Deer.

The 20 year old forward arrived in town this past weekend and has taken part in his first ice sessions with his new club. DePape did some individual skating and puck handling drills prior to main Rebels practices Monday and Tuesday.

DePape is right on track with his recovery from shoulder surgery last fall and is scheduled to suit up for the Rebels before the end of the regular season.

I’m super excited,” DePape admitted before hitting the ice on Monday. “Since I got picked up on the trade deadline I’ve been anxious to get out here and it’s finally nice to meet the boys.”

Down In A Blaze of Glory... err... Gory

To steal from a line from beloved former NFL Head Coach Dennis Green... "The Rebels are who we thought they were."

So too, for that matter, are the Kamloops Blazers.

In a dominating 4-0 win last night at the Enmax Centrium, the WHL's top team showed the Rebels just how far they have to go in order to reach the league's upper echelon... and, yes, there is a long way to go.

Blazers Blank Rebels

A Tuesday night tilt at the Enmax Centrium versus the league’s hottest team.  The Rebels faced quite a challenge in taking on the Kamloops Blazers.



FIRST PERIOD



Not much in terms of scoring chances for either team in the opening few shifts of the game.  Neither Bolton Pouliot for the Rebels or Taran Kozun for the Blazers was overly busy in the first ten minutes or so.  For the most part, the Rebels did a good job of keeping Blazers forwards at bay.  Turner Elson created the best scoring chances for the Rebels, catching a piece of the goal post with a shot of his own while narrowly setting up Brooks Maxwell with a wide open net not long after.  There was a lot of ‘stop and start’ play in the first period, which probably worked out in favour of the home side.  No score after twenty minutes of play.  Neither side getting a powerplay.  Shots 11-9 favouring Kamloops.



Eight Ain't Great

Desperation time is now for the Red Deer Rebels.

Entering their three games in three nights weekend in BC, the Rebels trail the Brandon Wheat Kings by eight points for the final playoff spot in the WHL Eastern Conference.

Forget the fact that the Rebs have three games at-hand on the Wheaties. It's Al Davis time for this hockey club... just win, baby.

But it sure as heck won't be easy. The Blazers enter tonight as the number-one team in the Western Conference (86 points, 7 up on Tri-City) and are the number-three ranked team in the entire CHL. That being said... the Rebels have beaten the Blazers twice this season (4-2 in Red Deer on Oct. 19 and 5-3 in Kamloops on Nov. 11) but needless to say the Rebels were a much less injury ravaged club in those games.

And what what would a Rebels blog entry be without yet another injury update. The good news... d-man Devan Fafard made his return to the Rebels lineup in Wednesday's 3-1 loss in Prince George. The bad news... forward John Persson did not play versus the Cougars. Thankfully, the Rebels leading scorer is expected to play tonight versus the Blazers.

Game time is 8pm. Cam Moon is on with the pre-game show on 106.7 The Drive starting at 7:50pm.

The Rebels visit Kelowna tomorrow and Vancouver on Saturday.

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