(Red Deer Rebels/ Kelly Toporowski)

By Ian Gustafson

5-1

Rebels blown out in front of biggest home crowd this season

Dec 27, 2024 | 10:23 PM

The Red Deer Rebels were hoping to come out of the Christmas break with a big victory at home but a lacklustre performance sealed their fate on Friday night.

In front of 5,564 fans at the Peavey Mart Centrium, their biggest home crowd of the season, they lost 5-1 to the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Head coach Dave Struch called it the most disappointing game they’ve played this season.

“I know they’ve had our number but coming back after Christmas all it takes here tonight is some hard work, some character, and some leadership. We didn’t have that at all tonight,” he said.

The Rebels struggled offensively but that’s been the story for most of the season. Other than the Regina Pats, no other team in the WHL have scored less goals than the Rebels who only have 88 goals this campaign.

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After the Rebels tied it at one in the first period, the Oil Kings potted four unanswered goals to defeat their Central Division rival.

In the third period alone, the Rebels only had four shots in a 25-shot game. Their lone goal came on the powerplay.

“Other than the 5-1 loss, it was pushing and putting everything you’ve got into the game. You learn as a kid how to play hard all the time. You learn how to play with heart, passion, and emotion. We didn’t have that tonight,” Struch added.

The Oil Kings got on the board on their first shot of the game. Just 52 seconds into the period, Edmonton defenceman Blake Fiddler beat netminder Chase Wutzke off a hard shot from the right slot on the offensive rush.

The Rebels notched a powerplay marker with 1:46 left in the opening period to tie the game.

Along the boards on the left side Rebels captain Ollie Josephson fed forward Jaxon Fuder who was open in the slot for a one timer. Fuder beat Oil Kings goaltender Alex Worthington in the top corner.

Red Deer had a golden chance early in the second period to take their first lead of the game but Matthew Gard was robbed in front of the net.

Instead, the Oil Kings retook the lead with 11:32 left in the frame after Wutzke misplayed the puck behind the net. The Oil Kings dumped the puck into the offensive zone and after Wutzke came out to play the puck behind the net, it bounced out in front and Kayden Stroeder tapped it into the open net.

Edmonton added to their lead with just over seven minutes left in the second off the stick of Landon Hanson.

However, things went from bad to worse for Red Deer when Stroeder scored his second of the game to lead 4-1.

In the third period, the Oil Kings scored on the offensive rush when a shot redirected off a body and through the legs of Wutzke.

That sealed the deal for the Rebels fifth loss on their last six games. Red Deer now sits in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a 15-15-1-2 record.

The Rebels are still without forward Kasper Pikkarainen who’s injury is listed as indefinite and Jhett Larson who’s out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Red Deer was also without Kalan Lind who missed the game with the flu.

In addition, defenceman Hunter Mayo delivered a big hit late in the third period and was handed a five-minute game misconduct after he appeared to make contact with the head.

Red Deer will look for revenge against the Oil Kings when they head to Edmonton on Sunday for a 4 p.m. game at Rogers Place.

“We start tomorrow first. [Saturday] is going to be the hard day,” Struch added. “[We hope to see] a more consistent effort.”