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Rebels suffer shutout loss to end regular season in Cranbrook

Mar 17, 2018 | 9:44 PM

The Red Deer Rebels wrapped up the regular season with a 5-0 shutout loss to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook Saturday night. It was the Rebels second-straight loss to the Ice in as many nights, with Red Deer now turning their focus to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, their first-round playoff opponents next week.

The first period saw Kootenay get on the board first when Colton Veloso took a pass in front of the Rebels net from Colton Kroeker at 15:59 to make it 1-0 Ice. It was Veloso’s 25th goal of the season.

Less than three and a half minutes later, Kootenay lit the lamp again when former Rebel Cameron Hausinger got to the loose puck first in front of the Rebels net and scored to make it 2-0 Ice. It was Hausinger’s 20th goal of the year and came at 19:26 on the power play.

In the second, Kootenay added to their two-goal lead when Kaeden Taphorn scored a short-handed effort at 11:31, his sixth goal of the season to make it 3-0 for the home side.

The third period didn’t get any better though for Red Deer as Hausinger picked up his second goal of the night and 21st of the year, scoring off his own rebound at 9:57 to make it 4-0.

Soon afterwards, Kootenay’s Alec Baer scored an impressive goal at 11:21, his 30th of the season to seal the deal at 5-0.

Shots on goal finished 46-19 in favour of Kootenay, with the Ice going 1/4 on the power play while Red Deer went 0/3.

Kootenay’s victory improves their record to 27-38-5-2 with 59 points and a fourth place finish in the WHL’s Central Division to close-out their season. Red Deer wraps-up their regular season with a record of 27-32-10-3 with 67 points, good for a third place finish in the Central.

The Rebels next action is now Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24 in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes for games 1 and 2 of their first-round playoff series. Games 3 and 4 are back in Red Deer March 27 and 28.

Tickets go on sale for games 3 and 4 starting Monday, March 26 at ticketsalberta.com.