(Rob Wallator)

By Kael Clark

Home from the Holidays

Rebels surge, but come up short in 2-1 loss to Oil Kings

Dec 28, 2019 | 12:05 PM

The Red Deer Rebels were back at it after the holidays Friday, welcoming the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Westerner Park Centrium.

Coming in, Red Deer had won five of its last seven, while Edmonton were winners of seven of their previous eight.

The rest and relaxation led to a fast-paced start, and it was Edmonton getting on the board first with a tip from David Kope (11th) off a shot from Mathew Robertson seven and a half minutes in. Both teams squandered first period powerplay opportunities.

Near the halfway mark of the second, the Rebels caught a bad break as a Jalen Luypen pass through the slot took a deflection off a Red Deer stick and through Byron Fancy’s five-hole for a 2-0 Oil Kings lead. For Luypen, it was his seventh of the season, and the second straight game he’s scored against Red Deer.

Red Deer came out flying in the third, hungry for some home-cooking, and it was finally Arshdeep Bains (11th) who drove it past Sebastian Cossa to cut the lead in half with a dozen minutes remaining. Edmonton challenged that it was kicked in, but the goal stood. Bains’s eleven goals are second most on the Rebels this season, while his 24 points is a team-high.

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The home team continued to pressure until the final moments, but the visitors held on for a tight 2-1 edging of the Rebels.

Byron Fancy was named the game’s second star after stopping 33 of 35 shots. Sebastian Cossa earned first star honours for making 30 saves on 31 shots faced. Bains was third star

Red Deer heads to Edmonton Saturday for the back half of this home and home against the Oil Kings. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. from Rogers Place, with the Bo’s Bar and Stage Pre-Game Show beginning at 6:50 on 106.7 The Drive.