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AWAY GAME

Rebels crushed 7-2 by Brandon Wheat Kings

Jan 29, 2025 | 9:15 PM

The Red Deer Rebels have fallen again with a 7-2 defeat to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Although the Rebels finally broke a 13 game losing streak with a win against Moose Jaw on Jan. 25, the next day loss against the Calgary Hitmen, and now the Brandon Wheat Kings, may have the team back on the wrong track again.

The Rebels took a 1-0 lead right out of the gate though with Jhett Larson sinking his sixth puck of the season just 3:37 into the first period, with assistance from Ty Coupland.

The Wheat Kings quickly turned it around though, tying it up 1-1 just 11 seconds later thanks to Luke Shipley. Shipley’s 13th goal of the season was assisted by Jaxson Jacobson and Jordan Gavin.

Brandon then got a penalty for too many men at 8:03, sending the Rebels on a power play and resulting in their second goal of the night, shot by Ty Coupland at 9:23. He was assisted by Nishaan Parmar and Luke Vlooswyk, bringing the score to 2-1.

With two minutes left in the opening frame, the Wheat Kings struck back and tied it again as Jaxson Jacobson scored his 10th of the season, assisted by Quinn Mantei and Luke Shipley, which brought the teams to 2-2.

The first period finished with Red Deer outshooting Brandon 13-9.

A packed second frame took off at 7:52, when Brandon’s Quinn Mantei scored his sixth of the season, assisted by Luke Shipley, making it 3-2 Brandon.

Derek Thurston and Dominik Petr then dropped the gloves at centre ice, earning both players a major fighting penalty.

Before their time in the box was up, however, the Wheat Kings Marcus Nguyen put Red Deer on a fruitless power play after a tripping incident. At 16:06, Brandon got their own chance to score because the Rebels had too many men on the ice.

Just 40 seconds into the power play, Jordan Gavin made his 16th goal of the season and brought the Wheat Kings to a healthy 4-2 lead, with assists from Jaxson Jacobson and Sylvan Lake native, Caleb Hadland.

Brandon refused to let up though and scored again at 17:53, with Marcus Nguyen’s 23rd goal of the season, bumping his team’s lead to 5-2. Nguyen was assisted by Nolan Flamand and Luke Shipley.

The second period nearly ended without incident, but Red Deer’s Luke Vlooswyk took a minor for checking from behind at 18:46, giving the Wheat Kings just enough time for another power play goal, only 35 seconds into period three.

The 6-2 lead was quickly secured by Nicholas Johnson with his ninth goal of the season, with help from Nolan Flamand and Luke Shipley.

That lead shot up again to 7-2, five minutes into the final frame, as Carter Klippenstein secured his ninth goal of the season with help from Dominik Petr and Ponoka native, Dylan Ronald.

The Rebels turned the heat up for the final frame, winning just over half of the 20 face-offs, but were unable to follow through.

In addition to a five-point lead, period three also ended with Brandon outshooting Red Deer 15-8 and 38-31 overall.

The game’s three stars went to the Wheat Kings Luke Shipley, Jaxon Jacobson and Nolan Flamand.

The Red Deer Rebels still sit in last place in the WHL’s Central Division following the loss, while the Wheat Kings remain fourth in the East.

The Rebels’ next chance to turn it around is Friday, Jan. 31, against the Regina Pats at the Brandt Centre. Puck drop is at 6 p.m. MST and you can catch the game live on 106.7 Rewind Radio.

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