Tyler Lowey

Rebels Czech’d by the Raiders

It was an unexpected burst of goals from defensemen, specifically Vojtech Budik, that sealed the Rebels fate in tonight’s match-up between the Red Deer Rebels (10-23-8-3) and the visiting Prince Albert Raiders (16-20-6-2).

The goals came early and often from the Prince Albert Raiders, looking to gain some ground on the idle Saskatoon Blades for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Just 1:50 seconds into the action Budik would score his first of two goals in the first period. Budik took a pass from Sean Montgomery who was on the half-wall and blasted a shot on a screened Ethan Anders.

A scary incident occurred with 11 minutes to go in the period. Josh Tarzwell made a hit on Spencer Moe in a dangerous area. Moe would fall awkwardly into the boards and required the attention of the Raiders medical staff. Tarzwell would receive a boarding penalty for his troubles and Budik would make the Rebels pay. The Raiders kept the puck in the Rebel end of the ice for most of the penalty before Budik got a pass from Curtis Miske. Budik would step just inside the circle and make it 2-0 Raiders.

The Rebels would pull Ethan Anders in favour of Riley Lamb hoping to spark something in the team.

It would take the Raiders just five minutes to take a three-goal lead. This time it was defenseman Jeremy Masella taking a shot from the point. He would put the puck past Riley Lamb who was screened by his own forward. After the first period the visiting Raiders would be up 3-0 and had outshot Red Deer 11-6.

Brent Sutter had this to say about the early part of the night’s game, “Well we got behind the eight-ball early, you know a couple goals, they aren’t good goals and the saves gotta be made there. I just didn’t think we regrouped after that.”

It wouldn’t take long for the Raiders to pad their lead in the second period. Prince Albert’s leading goal scorer Jordy Stallard added to his totals with his 31st goal of the season. This goal too came on a Raiders power play, their second goal in as many chances. Riley Lamb was beaten by a shot from the top of the circle and the Raiders lead was extended to four goals.

Red Deer’s best chances to this point of the game came with about nine-and-a-half minutes to go in the second period, Josh Tarzwell and Brandon Hagel had a two-on-one, then played keep away and had four or five shots in a 15 second span while playing four-on-four. Ian Scott was excellent in making save after save and keeping his team up 4-0.

Trying to shake things up for his team, Brandon Cutler threw the gloves off and squared up with Zack Hayes. Cutler started well in this bout but was taken down by Hayes. On his way to the bench Cutler attempted to rile up the team, screaming at the bench. It wasn’t the only time a Rebel player would do this on this night and Brent Sutter was keenly aware of his charges frustration, ” This what happens when you get frustrated, you get undisciplined, whatever, cause your not ready to play. That’s all part of it, you get into a game where there is emotion and intensity and high pace. You know if you are not mentally ready, not ready physically to get in the game then what happens is your game struggles and you get frustrated with it and we had a lot of guys that way tonight.”

Alexander Alexeyev

It would take a late period penalty to Kody McDonald for the Rebels to put a puck past Scott. With just 54 seconds to play in the second period, Alexander Alexeyev would score on a bang-bang-bang play. Reese Johnson won a face off to Josh Tarzwell, who would collect his first assist as a Rebel on the goal, then he would slide the puck to Alexeyev who wired a shot past Scott. Red Deer would have a little bit of momentum heading into the third period but would need more then a heroic effort to close the gap. It would not come on this night.

In the third period the special teams let the Rebels down again as Parker Kelly stole the puck in the neutral zone and danced around two Rebel defensemen and scored to put the Raiders up 5-1. That would be it for the scoring in this one as the Rebels would lose their 12th straight game.

The Head Coach wasn’t too happy with some of the players on the team tonight, “I didn’t like some guys tonight, I didn’t like the way some guys played. If your older players aren’t good for you, and you are going with a bunch of young kids its tough. And I didn’t think any of our older players were very good at all.”

The Rebels will look to rebound from tonight’s loss, tomorrow night they face the visiting Kamloops Blazers.

Rebel Yell… The Prince Albert Raiders swept the three stars on this night 1) Vojtech Budik 2) Parker Kelly 3) Jordy Stallard. Ian Scott made 29 saves on 30 shots while Riley Lamb made 24 saves on 27 shots. Budik and Kristian Reichel were your shots on goal leaders with 7 goals each. Prince Albert is now five points back of the Saskatoon Blades for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand. Red Deer is 16 points back and is now 22nd in points in the WHL.