New-look Red Deer Rebels make strides in first home game post-trade deadline

Defenceman Jace Weir, who’s one of the few veterans that suited up for the Rebels on Saturday night, said it’s been a weird week, but has enjoyed getting to know his new teammates.

“They’re great hockey players and great guys so we’re lucky and happy to have them,” he said. “This is the first time in my career where we’ve made this amount of trades. It was a little weird at first but we’re still a team and we’re still the Red Deer Rebels.”

Weir thought the team was much improved on Saturday compared to their first game post-deadline on Friday. The day after the he deadline as different but he thought on Saturday they played a better overall team game.

However, the difficult part was lining up against former teammate Matteo Fabrizi, who was traded to the Raiders. Weir and Fabrizi were linemates on the back end for their entire career with the Rebels but on Saturday they were enemies on the ice.

That was hard to get used to for Weir.

“I played with him for a while, he’s my brother. He’s a great guy but he’s wearing a different jersey so when we play we’re not friends but off the ice we’re good buddies,” he added.

“We had the odd chirp but he knows it’s just fun.”

After an early penalty by defenceman Derek Thurston, the Raiders scored the opening goal nearly a minute and a half into the game.

Forward Aiden Oiring knocked in the loose puck in front of the net on the powerplay. However, the goal didn’t come without controversy. It appeared there was goalie interference when the Raiders got in the way of netminder Chase Wutzke but the officials let it slide.

Prince Albert capitalized on another opportunity midway through first period scored by Rilen Kovacevic fired in a rebound in front.

The Raiders took a 3-0 lead over eight minutes into the second period, scored by defenceman Justice Christensen who beat Wutzke on a one-timer off the pass from Lacombe, native Daxon Rudolph. Rudolph had also assisted on P.A.’s second goal.

In the third period, former Rebel Evan Smith nearly put the Raiders up by four off a nice pass in front of the net but Wutzke shut the door.

Both teams were unable to find the back of the net in the third period and the Rebels were shut out.

Despite that, head coach Dave Struch said his team is making good strides in learning how to play together once again.

“The energy was there… We talk about all the changes that have happened we go into last nights game and get hurt early… Fatigue came into it for sure but tonight we had a new energy,” Struch said.

“I think it’s really important we take that positive and the bench was really alive. I was really disappointed in the first two goals and even when we tried to play physical… it was disappointing we had calls against us.”

Since November, they’ve acquired seven new players, traded 10 away, and have added nine new draft picks, while trading four away.

Struch said the new players need lots of work to learn how to play Red Deer Rebels hockey but gave them credit for what they’ve been able to do so far.

“For those guys to come in and play with the energy they did, we had glimpses of making plays,” he said. “Our powerplay was a lot better tonight… Overall, the work ethic and commitment to competing was a lot better tonight.”

by rdnewsNOW staff

New-look Red Deer Rebels make strides in first home game post-trade deadline

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