By Troy Gillard

Game Day (Finally!)

Rebels open shortened season versus Medicine Hat

Feb 26, 2021 | 8:00 AM

For the first time in 352 days it’s “Game On” for the Red Deer Rebels.

The Medicine Hat Tigers visit the Westerner Park Centrium tonight in the first game of the pandemic-delayed 24-game WHL season.

There won’t be any fans in attendance for tonight’s long-awaited return to play (starting at 6 p.m. on 106.7 REWIND Radio), but Rebels boss Brent Sutter doesn’t think it’ll feel much different once the puck hits the ice.

“The kids are so geared up and ready to go. It’s been a long time and at the end of the day, these kids are trying to make careers out of this sport,” he says. “This is what they and their parents put so much time and costs into to get this level.”

The Rebels come in with a roster filled with familiar faces – 21 players out of 26 suited up during the 2019-20 season – that has gotten to know each other even better over the past couple of weeks living at the Westerner Park Centrium.

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Wins and losses won’t weigh as heavily as they would in a “typical” season, but the Rebels will still be looking to improve on their 2019-20 campaign that saw them end with a 24-33-3-3 record in 63 games, good for fifth in the Central Division. Had there been postseason play last year the Rebels would’ve been on the outside looking in.

Despite the Tigers finishing 31 points ahead of the Rebels last season the head-to-head series between the two clubs was split fairly evenly with Red Deer amassing a 2-1-1-1 record and Medicine Hat going 3-1-1-1. The only lopsided affair was a 9-1 Tigers triumph on Oct. 12, 2019.

Following tonight’s game in Red Deer, the Rebels and Tigers meet again Saturday night in Medicine Hat (7:30 p.m.).