Red Deer Rebel Jhett Larson fires a shot on goal at the Peavey Mart Centrium on March 2, 2024. (Red Deer Rebels)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

looking ahead

Rebels back in the win column with 2-1 defeat of fading Calgary

Mar 2, 2024 | 10:35 PM

The Red Deer Rebels beat the Calgary Hitmen Saturday night for the sixth straight time, 2-1, in what was the seventh of nine meetings this season.

Calgary (2-7-1-0 in their past 10) won the first matchup of the year but have dropped every one since. The teams play back-to-back March 8 and 9 with the Hitmen’s hopes of squeaking back into the playoff picture quickly fading away.

While Red Deer sits comfortably in third in the Central Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference, and just seven games to go, Calgary is five points back of Lethbridge for the final East post-season berth. Swift Current, who sits two ahead of Red Deer for second in the Central, lost in regulation to Edmonton on Saturday, but have nine games left.

The Rebels also collected the two points Saturday with a new interim face behind the bench, that being Dave Struch. In case you missed it, the Rebels announced late Friday, following their 7-5 home loss to Swift Current, that they’d parted ways with head coach Derrick Walser.

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  Red Deer Rebels Interim Head Coach Dave Struch gives some instruction during a stoppage in play at the Peavey Mart Centrium in Red Deer on March 2, 2024. (Red Deer Rebels)

Scoring summary

Jhett Larson (14th) broke the ice on this night at 12:45 of the first period, beating Ethan Buenaventura top shelf from between the hashmarks, and it was 1-0 Rebels.

No further goals came until the 6:28 mark of the third, when Oliver Tulk (34th) found the equalizer for Calgary.

The game appeared to be headed to overtime, but with just 30 seconds on the clock…

Talon Brigley (16th) scored the game-winner, his fourth such goal of the 2023-24 regular season, and on his fifth shot of the game.

Final score: 2-1 Rebels.

Rhett Stoesser made 34 saves in a bounceback performance, and Buenaventura stopped 32 pucks.

Shots

CGY: 35

RD: 34

Power play

CGY: 0/2

RD: 0/1

Three stars

1st: Rhett Stoesser (RD) – 34 saves

2nd: Oliver Tulk (CGY) – 1 goal

3rd: Jhett Larson (RD) – 1 goal, 5 shots (game-winner)

Up next for the Rebels are two more against the Calgary Hitmen — March 8 in Calgary, then once more in Red Deer at 7 p.m. on March 9.

Following that, the Rebels will have five games remaining in the regular season, March 15 at Lethbridge, March 16 at home to Lethbridge, March 20 in Swift Current, March 23 at home versus Edmonton, and March 24 in Edmonton.

Broadcasts can be heard live on 106.7 REWIND Radio.