(Photo: Rob Wallator)

By Troy Gillard

Season underway

Rebels fall 4-2 to Edmonton in home opener

Sep 21, 2019 | 9:58 PM

A hard working effort wasn’t quite enough for the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday as they opened the 2019-20 WHL season with a 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Westerner Park Centrium.

Dallon Melin scored the first Rebels goal of the season 11:36 into the first period when he put home a rebound past Edmonton goalie Dylan Myskiw. Red Deer native Keaton Sorensen picked up the lone assist on the tally.

The Oil Kings replied with a power play goal at 14:58 as Scott Atkinson’s one-timer snuck past Ethan Anders.

Edmonton took a 2-1 lead when Josh Williams beat Anders with a backhander with just 14 seconds left in the opening frame.

Atkinson struck again 1:46 into period two as he capitalized on a great pass from Williams for his second goal on the night.

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The Rebels played with more and more of a physical edge as the game wore on. It started to pay off in the third period and eventually helped them pull within a goal when Brett Davis ripped home a wrister from the slot with 6:14 left to play.

That goal seemed to awaken the Oil Kings as they held off the surging Rebels before mounting a counterattack that led to David Kope scoring with 2:06 left to play, despite big initial saves by Anders and Ethan Sakowich, for the game’s final goal.

“I thought we had a good start and then they scored on the power play and took away the momentum,” said Davis afterward.

Edmonton outshot Red Deer 32-29 on the night and was 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Rebels went 0-for-4.

“I thought the second period put us on our heels,” Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter said. “After they got that power play goal it took us awhile to regroup again.

“It’s the first game. There are things we obviously have to work on but it is a good test for our kids to see where they have to be at.”

NOTES: Defenceman Kyle Masters made history by becoming the first player to join his dad in playing for the Rebels. Kevin Masters played on the inaugural Rebels team in 1992-93. Mason Ward, son of former Rebels blue liner Lance, was a scratch for Saturday’s game… Anders appeared in his 100^th game with the Rebels.

The Rebels and Oil Kings meet again Sunday afternoon in Edmonton (4 p.m. on 106.7 THE DRIVE).