(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Alessia Proietti

Final match-up this season

Rebels beat Blades, CHL’s top-ranked team, with 5-0 shutout victory

Feb 27, 2024 | 9:45 PM

The Red Deer Rebels beat the Canadian Hockey League’s top-ranked team, the Saskatoon Baldes, in a 5-0 shutout victory on Tuesday night at the SaskTel Centre.

A busy week for the Rebels, with two road and two home games consecutively in just five days, it was their final match-up with the Blades this season. They entered the game 1-2 versus Saskatoon over the season, with their most recent game on January 17 as a 5-4 win.

The Rebels’ Frantisek Formanek opened the scoreboard in the first period with a goal in front of the crease of the Blades’ goaltender Austin Elliot. At 6:40, his 18^th goal of the season was assisted by Kai Uchacz to bring the team 1-0.

Saskatoon, however, was outshooting Red Deer 13-7 after 20 minutes of play.

The Rebels gained speed in the middle frame, beginning with Ollie Josephson’s 10^th goal this season at 9:14. Uchacz earned himself his 200^th point with another assist, doubling their lead 2-0.

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At 13:07, Red Deer’s Talon Brigley scored his 15^th this season from the right-wing side, tripling their lead 3-0. Hunter Mayo and Josephson got the apples.

By this time, the Blades swapped out goaltender Elliot for Evan Gardner.

But it made no difference as the Rebels’ Uchacz tapped in a goal through the back door with just over one minute left in regulation. With the help of Jhett Larson and Formanek, his 39^th goal of the season pushed the team in a 4-0 lead.

Both teams had seven shots on goal in the second period.

Halfway through the final period, Red Deer Captain Uchacz scored his 40^th goal of the season, unassisted, off the glove of Saskatoon’s netminder Gardner. The Rebels won the game 5-0.

The Blades outshot the Rebels 16-6 in the third period.

Shots on goal

RD: 20

SAS: 36

Power play

RD: 0/4

SAS: 0/4

Three stars

1^st: Chase Wutzke (RD) – SH/SV 36

2^nd: Kai Uchacz (RD) – 2G, 2A

3^rd: Frantisek Formanek (RD) – 1G, 1A

The win keeps the Rebels in third place of the Central Division with 30-20-2-6 while the loss leaves little impact to the Blades who sit in first of the East Division at 42-11-2-3.

The Rebels will now head to Prince Albert to play against the Raiders tomorrow at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is at 6 p.m. with the broadcast live on 106.7 REWIND radio 10 minutes prior.

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