Photo: Rob Wallator

By Dan Hermanutz

outmatched by the league's best

Rebels shutout 4-0 by Oil Kings

Mar 1, 2020 | 8:39 AM

The Rebels met up with the Edmonton Oil Kings Saturday night at the Westerner Park Centrium but came up on the losing end of a 4-0 score to the best team in the WHL.

The loss brings an end to the Rebels’ season best four-game winning streak. Edmonton has won all seven meetings with the Rebels so far this season.

The Oil Kings got on the board first with a power-play goal at 8:02 of the first period. Riley Sawchuk was set up at the top of the circle and he one-timed a pass from Matthew Robertson past Red Deer goalie Ethan Anders to make it 1-0.

17:08 into the first period, Edmonton was awarded a penalty shot after Mason Ward threw his stick, stopping a chance for Carter Souch. Souch took advantage of the opportunity, going backhand on Anders to make it 2-0.

The second period saw no goals for either side. The Rebels had two power-play opportunity but we’re unable to take advantage and still trailed after 40. The Oil Kings led the Rebels 27-16 in the shots on goal department through two periods.

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With 7:33 remaining in the third period, Cam Hausinger squared up and put his shoulder through the chest of Keagan Slaney for a big open ice hit. Tyler Horstmann took exception and came to confront Hausinger, who wasted no time in dropping his gloves to put another man to the ground.

The Rebels got a penalty on the play, something head coach Brent Sutter disagreed with, quite vehemently leading to his ejection. Red Deer killed off the ensuing Oil Kings powerplay to keep it a two-goal game.

The Oil Kings later had a two-on-two chance that ended with top NHL Draft prospect Jake Neighbours setting up WHL leading rookie scorer Dylan Guenther for a 3-0 Edmonton lead.

David Kope iced the game for the Oil Kings with an empty net goal to make it 4-0 with 1:28 to play.

“We kept it tight and our goaltender had moments when he played really well,” Sutter said after the game. “We never generated a whole lot of offence, never got much going. And when we did their goalie seemed to make the save . . . easy save, whatever.”

As for the series of events that led to his being ejected from the game, Sutter said, “I don’t understand that at all. I don’t get that.

“Cam makes a great hit in the neutral zone, a guy comes over and cross checks him twice and lunges at him like he wants to fight him. “Cam drops his gloves and yet they put us short-handed on that. I think it’s a joke personally. The ref makes the call but I don’t understand that call at all.

“A guy comes over to want to fight and cross checks somebody then doesn’t drop his gloves, and our guy is basically defending himself and he gets the extra minor. That to me is not right,” Sutter concluded.

The Rebels were unable to solve Oil Kings goalie Beck Warm Saturday night as he stopped all 26 shots he faced. Anders made 30 saves in the game for Red Deer.

The Rebels play again next Friday when the Spokane Chiefs come to Red Deer. The puck drops at 7 p.m. and you can listen LIVE on 106.7 The Drive.