Rebels Lose To Blazers 7-4

The 2023 Memorial Cup Host Kamloops Blazers were in Red Deer Friday night and came out hard. Making it 3-0 going into the first intermission with goals from Connor Levis, Olen Zellweger, and Cadien Bankier. Canadian World Junior gold medalist Logan Stankhoven assisted a couple of those goals. The Blazers also outshot the Rebels 21-4 in the first period. The Blazers also have 3 guys from the Canadian World Junior Team that won gold.

Ben King scored 6 minutes into the second frame with assists to Jace Weir and Jace Isley. Two minutes later though Matthew Seminoff scored on the Power Play with assists to former Rebel Kyle Masters and Olen Zellweger. Making it a 4-1 game.

The Rebels started to make a game of it in the second period scoring three unanswered goals in under 10 minutes to make it a tie game at 4-4. Goal scorers were Carson Birnie, Kai Uchacz, and Jhett Larson. Anything that was making this look like a game however was all lost when the Rebels took stupid penalties. A highstick and a double minor slew foot gave the Blazers a pair of Power Play goals. One from Kyle Masters and the other from Stettler native Dylan Kuefler. Logan Bairos added another at the end to make the final 7-4.

Other Notes

Rebels next game is Saturday February 18th against the Tigers in Medicine Hat.

Attendance was 5,534.

Red Deer Rebels Mats Lindgren who was acquired from Kamloops in August in return for fellow rearguard Kyle Masters and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft faced their old teams for the first time.

The Blazers were four-for-five on the power play. Note to Rebels, Don’t get penalties, especially against these guys.

Kalan Lind and Rhett Stoesser were both out with injuries. Called up for Stoesser was Chase Wutzke from Saskatoon Contacts MAAA.

With Ben King’s 2 points tonight he is now in 10th place on the Rebels all time scoring list.