Scorching start to the season for the Red Deer Rebels

Todayville

Published

1 year ago

4 minute read

Jhett Larson has scored 3 times in the first 2 games of the season. (Photo by Rob Wallator)

News release from the Red Deer Rebels

SWEEPING START TO THE SEASON

The Rebels kicked off the new season in fine style over the weekend with a home-and-home sweep of the defending league champion Edmonton Oil Kings. It started Friday up at Rogers Place with the Rebels spoiling the party on championship banner night for the Oil Kings with a 5-2 road win. Jhett Larson and Hunter Mayo each had two goals and an assist. Tanner Brown had three assists while Talon Brigley added a pair.

The Rebels followed up with a 5-3 win Saturday night in the Red Deer Advocate Home Opener at the Peavey Mart Centrium. Larson and Mayo each scored again while Frantisek Formanek, Kai Uchacz (game winner) and Carter Anderson (second goal in as many nights) also found the back of the net.

STELLAR DEBUTS

It’s fun when you have a goalie win his first ever WHL game, and it’s even better when it happens twice in as many nights!

That was the case for the Rebels last weekend as newcomer Kyle Kelsey (Maple Ridge, BC) made 28 saves in his first ever WHL regular season game for his first ever victory. Kelsey was acquired by the Rebels in an offseason trade with Moose Jaw.

Rhett Stoesser (Carstairs, AB) followed suit Saturday by making 22 saves to earn the win in his WHL regular season debut. He also earned an assist in the game. Stoesser was a free agent invite to Rebels training camp and signed with the team during the preseason.

HOT STARTS

There were many other impressive performances by Rebels players on opening weekend:

Defenceman Hunter Mayo scored three goals in two games to match his goal total from all of last season
Forward Jhett Larson also scored three goals in two games and five points overall
Defenceman Tanner Brown recorded four assists in his first two games with the Rebels
Forward Carter Anderson scored goals in back-to-back games
Rookie forward Ollie Josephson recorded assists in back-to-back games

BEDARD, BEER, BOTTLE DRIVE

There is just one game this week for the Rebels as they welcome Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats to the Peavey Mart Centrium this Saturday, October 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at ticketsalberta.com. Fans are encouraged to bring in their empties and non-perishable food items as we team up with our friends at Cosmos Bottle Depot in support of the Red Deer Food Bank. Fans can also take advantage of the Two-for-$10 Beer Special for this game!

SEASON TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE

Season ticket packages for the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season are still available. Also available are 9-game packages, single-game tickets, Birthday Packs and Corporate Packages. Visit reddeerrebels.com for call Shaun Richer at 403-341-6000 to learn more.

GOIN’ CAMPING

Two Rebels players remain at camps with NHL clubs as of Monday – Ben King with the Anaheim Ducks (Drafted 2022), and Mats Lindgren with the Buffalo Sabres (Drafted 2022). Defenceman Christoffer Sedoff has returned to the Rebels after attending camp with the Calgary Flames. Defenceman Jace Weir is back from camp with the Vegas Golden Knights. And the captain Jayden Grubbe has also returned from camp with the New York Rangers.

Related Topics:#CarterAnderson #HunterMayo #JhettLarson #KyleKelsey #OllieJosephson #RedDeerRebels #RhettStoesser #TannerBrown

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Red Deer Rebels

Stoesser Stopper: Rebels on a roll as season long six game homestand begins

Published on November 20, 2023

Todayville

From the Red Deer Rebels

REBELS THIS WEEK

REBELS RECAP

SAT. NOV. 18 – Rookie Matthew Gard scored his first two WHL goals, including the game winner, as the Rebels edged the Calgary Hitmen 3-2 at the Peavey Mart Centrium to sweep the weekend home-and home series between the two clubs. Kai Uchacz scored his team leading 12th goal of the season while Rhett Stoesser made 26 saves. Red Deer had a season high 46 shots on goal.

Both teams came up empty on the power play with the Rebels going 0-for-5 and Calgary 0-for-3.

FRI. NOV. 17 – Rhett Stoesser turned aside 40 shots as the Rebels blanked the Calgary Hitmen 3-0 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Carson Latimer scored twice, once on the power play and once shorthanded. Talon Brigley scored an empty netter with 11 seconds left to play.

Calgary outshot Red Deer 40-30 and was 0-for-3 on the power play while the Rebels were 1-for-2.

UPCOMING GAMES

The Rebels continue their season-long six-game homestand with two more games at the Peavey Mart Centrium. The Brandon Wheat Kings come to town Friday followed by the Regina Pats on Saturday (Nov. 24 and 25).

Both games go at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through ticketsalberta.com.

All Rebels games home and away are broadcast exclusively on 106.7 Rewind Radio and CHL TV
(watch.chl.ca).

STONEWALL STOESSER

The Western Hockey League announced Monday that Rebels netminder Rhett Stoesser is the WHL Goaltender of the Week. The 18-year-old Carstairs puck stopper earned his second shutout of the season and rode a 1.00 goals-against average and .971 save percentage to snatch back-to-back wins over the Calgary Hitmen this past week.

Stoesser stopped all 40 shots he faced in a 3-0 win at the Scotiabank Saddledome on November 17, locking up first-star honours. He continued the dominant performance the next night at Peavey Mart Centrium, where he turned aside 26 of 28 shots to deny Calgary’s comeback attempt and be named second star of the game.

Stoesser (4-4-0-1) sits fifth in the WHL with a tidy .912 save percentage and sixth with a paltry 2.37 goals-against average and is heating up with points in four of his last five starts.

MATS THE BEST

Defenceman Mats Lindgren has won the Rebels Mitchell and Jewel Player of the Month Award for October. The Buffalo Sabres prospect recorded 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) in 10 games last month. Lindgren has 15 points in 18 games so far this season and is tied for 16th in scoring amongst all WHL defencemen.

SMITH IS SMART

Rookie forward Evan Smith is the team’s TELUS Scholastic Player of the Month Award for October. The Kamloops, BC native is carrying an outstanding 96% grade average so far this season. On the ice, Smith scored his first WHL goal Nov. 10 at Prince George.

ON GARD FOR THEE

With his two-goal performance Saturday, rookie Matthew Gard became the first Rebels player to score his first two WHL goals in the same game since D-Jay Jerome on September 24, 2016 (2 goals, 1 assist vs. Edmonton).

TOQUE AND TEDDY BEAR TOSS

It’s one of the most highly anticipated games of the year as the Red Deer Rebels are holding their annual Toque and Teddy Bear Toss in support of the Red Deer Christmas Bureau on Saturday, December 2 at the Peavey Mart Centrium when they host the Everett Silvertips at 7 p.m. When the Rebels score their first goal, fans are invited to toss their winter items onto the ice!

There will be items available for Epurchase at the game for $5. The Christmas Bureau is looking for new toques, mittens, gloves, scarves, and socks to keep Red Deerians warm this winter!

Red Deer Rebels

Beer Night at the Centrium on Saturday as Rebels host Hitmen

Published on November 13, 2023

Todayville

REBELS THIS WEEK

REBELS RECAP

The Rebels are back in Red Deer after wrapping up their week-long five-game trip west of the Rockies to battle the B.C. Division. It was an agonizingly tough trip for the Rebels as each of their four losses on the trip came by just one goal, including two via shootout.

4-3 L @ Prince George (Nov 10) SO 4-3 L @ Vancouver (Nov 8)

3-2 L @ Victoria (Nov 7)

3-1 W @ Kelowna (Nov 4) 4-3 L @ Kamloops (Nov 3) SO

A couple of highlights last Friday night in Prince George came when rookie forward Evan Smith (Kamloops, BC) scored his first WHL goal for the Rebels against reigning WHL Goaltender of the Week Joshua Ravensbergen, and when defenceman Hunter Mayo, in his return to the lineup after missing 10 games due to injury, scored late in the third period to send the game to overtime.

Also on the road trip, defenceman and Buffalo Sabres prospect Mats Lindgren played his 170^th career WHL game and recorded his 100^th career point with an assist Nov. 4 at Kelowna.

UPCOMING GAMES

This week sees the Rebels take on the Calgary Hitmen in a home-and-home series, Friday (Nov. 17) at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, and Saturday (Nov. 18) at the Peavey Mart Centrium. Game time both nights is at 7 p.m.

Saturday will be the first Rebels home game in three weeks following the Canadian Finals Rodeo and AgriTrade. It’ll also be the second “Beer Night” of the season (two domestic cans for $10) and the first-ever “Rebels Running of the Pooches” during the first intermissions. Fans are encouraged to stay in their seats following the opening 20 minutes to catch all the four-legged race excitement on the ice at the Peavey Mart Centrium. Tickets are available through ticketsalberta.com.

All Rebels games home and away are broadcast exclusively on 106.7 Rewind Radio and CHL TV (watch.chl.ca).

ON THE RADAR

Two Red Deer Rebels are included in the NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch list for the 2024 NHL Draft. Centre Ollie Josephson (Victoria, BC) has a ‘B’ rating as a potential a 2^nd/3^rd round draft pick. Forward Samuel Drancak (Strakonice, Czechia) has a ‘C’ rating as a potential 4^th/5^th round candidate.

UPDATE YOUR WARDROBE

The all-new Rebels alternate jersey is now available through the Rebels Team Store. Get yours by stopping by during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or head to our online store (link at reddeerrebels.com) to get yours. Also, watch soon for new Rebels merchandise coming ahead of the holiday season!

Toque toss!

The Rebels are holding their annual Toque and Teddy Bear Toss in support of the Red Deer Christmas Bureau on Saturday, December 2 at the Peavey Mart Centrium when they host the Everett Silvertips. When the Rebels score their first goal, fans are asked to toss their items (toques, mitts, scarves, and socks) onto the ice! There will be items available for purchase at the game for $5. Look for the Christmas Bureau volunteers in the red plaid aprons. The Christmas Bureau is looking for new toques, mittens, gloves, scarves and socks to keep Red Deerians warm this winter!