Rebels make club history with 8-game win streak to start season

However, with Red Deer’s Dwayne Jean Jr. sent to the box for hooking, the Hitmen took advantage of the power play by scoring on netminder Kyle Kelsey at 8:08. With assists by David Adaszynski and Carter Yakemchuk, the game was now tied 1-1.

The tables turned when the Hitmen’s Brandon Whynott received a penalty for slashing, leaving the Rebels to seize their own power play opportunity at 12:28. Ben King scored his second goal of the night and fourth of the season on a rebound, with the initial shot made by with Christoffer Sedoff and Jayden Grubbe for the assists. The home team was now back in the lead 2-1.

But the first period wasn’t over yet as Red Deer’s Kai Uchacz scored his seventh goal this WHL season from the right face-off point at 15:16. With the assists made by Hunter Mayo and Tayem Gislason, the scoreboard now read 3-1 for the Rebels.

After 20 minutes of play, the Rebels outshot the Hitmen 11-9.

In the second, Red Deer pushed their lead a little further just before the buzzer at 18:33. During the heated affair at the Calgary net, Kalan Lind then scored his second goal of the season on a rebound, bouncing off the shoulder of goaltender Brayden Peters. Calgary’s Keagan Slaney dove forward in an attempt to make the save but the puck just passed the goal line mid-air. Assisted by Ben King and Matteo Fabrizi, the Rebels now led 4-1.

Calgary ended the period with a penalty in the final 20 seconds for having too many men, which was served by Matteo Davis in the third period.

By the end of the second period, the Rebels outshot the Hitmen once again 13-8.

In the final period, Calgary’s Tyson Galloway managed to score his second goal of the season, shorthanded, just eight seconds in. Assisted by Grayden Siepmann and Riley Fiddler-Schultz, the Rebels still led 4-2.

Then with just under three minutes to play, Calgary pulled goaltender Brayden Peters in an attempt to tie the game, but Red Deer’s Jayden Grubbe scored his second goal of the season, unassisted, with just over one minute left in the game on the empty net.

Although Hitmen goaltender Brayden Peters returned to the net right after, the Rebels still won the game 5-2.

It was Calgary that outshot Red Deer in the third period 10-8; however, Red Deer still outshot the Hitmen 32-27 overall.

Both teams went 1/5 on the power play.

The Hitmen’s Tyson Galloway received the third star of the evening for his short handed goal on the night. The Rebels’ Ben King was awarded the second star, scoring two goals in the game, for the second time in just three games. Red Deer’s goaltender Kyle Kelsey was given the first star for having a .926 save percentage.

Rebels coach Steve Konowalchuk said he was very proud of the team breaking a franchise record.

“Thirty years and none of those guys there were able to break the record,” he said about other teams. “To be able to have a start like that and these guys did it; so proud of them. You get a continuation of last year; last year was such a good group of guys to coach, and they work hard every day and want to be winners and they surely deserve to enjoy this one tonight.”

Konowalchuk attributed goaltender Kyle Kelsey’s confidence to his large saves, adding the 18-year-old “played good hockey for us.”

For returning player Ben King, Konowalchuk says he has been one of the top four hardest working players at practice since day one.

“He works hard. He is a leader on and off the ice for us,” he said. “That shows his focus, his leadership, his care about the organization and his talents. When your talented players are committed, it’s fun to coach and it makes my job a lot easier.”

The Rebels will face the Medicine Hat Tigers this Friday at Co-op Place at 7 p.m., with the hope of continuing their unmatched winning streak.

by Alessia Proietti

Rebels make club history with 8-game win streak to start season

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