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Rebels losing skid now six

Nov 11, 2017 | 9:55 PM

The Red Deer Rebels losing streak now stands at six straight games after a 5-2 loss to the Rockets in Kelowna Saturday night.

It was the team’s fourth game of their seven-game road trip this month, with victories a little hard to come by so far.  

The first period saw the hometown Rockets get on the board first with a power play goal from Dillon Dube at 1:54 after a slashing penalty to the Rebels Alexander Alexeyev to put Kelowna up 1-0. It was Dube’s eighth goal of the season.

The Rockets followed that up three minutes later when Liam Kindree scored his second of the year, a power play marker at 4:56 after a Chris Douglas cross checking penalty to put Kelowna up 2-0. The Rebels responded two minutes later when Jared Dmytriw scored his sixth of the year at 6:58 to close Kelowna’s lead to 2-1.

In the second period, the Rockets continued to benefit from Red Deer penalties as James Hilsendager scored his second of the season, a power play goal at 8:41 to make it 3-1 Rockets following a holding penalty to Ethan Sakowich.

Rebels bench boss Brent Sutter made a goalie change at that point, taking out Ethan Anders and putting in Riley Lamb for his first action of the regular season after breaking his thumb in the preseason.

However, it wouldn’t take the Rockets long to give Lamb an unfriendly welcome, scoring just 26 seconds later to make it 4-1 with Braydyn Chizen scoring his first of the year at the 9:07 mark.

Kelowna added to their three-goal lead when Kole Lind picked up his 11th of the season at 16:53 to make it 5-1 Rockets heading into the break after forty minutes.

The Rebels would score the only goal of the third period when Carson Sass earned his first of the year, getting one behind Rockets net minder James Porter at 6:39 to make it 5-2 Kelowna.

Shots on goal finished 32-29 in favour of Kelowna, with the Rockets going 3 for 6 on the power play and the Rebels 0 for 5.

The loss drops the Rebels record to 8-11-1 with 17 points and still third place in the WHL’s Central Division. Kelowna improves to 10-6-2-1 with 23 points and second place in the B.C. Division.

Red Deer’s next game is Tuesday, November 14 in Victoria against the Royals. It’s a 8:05 p.m. (106.7 The Drive).