The Red Deer Rebels triumphed on Friday night at the Peavey Mart Centrium, with a remarkable 2-0 win over the Swift Current Broncos on St. Patrick’s Day, in front of a crowd of 4,367 fans. While the Rebels didn’t rely on luck to secure their victory, they did need a standout performance from their netminder Kyle Kelsey, who achieved his second consecutive WHL shutout. Kelsey faced only six shots in the opening frame, but finished with 34 saves, including 20 in the third period, playing a pivotal role in securing the team’s win.
The Rebels dominated the first period, scoring two goals and relying on Kelsey to hold off the Broncos for the remainder of the game. Jayden Grubbe scored the only goal the team needed just 4:37 on the Power Play with assists to Frantisek Formanek and Ben King. While Jace Isley (King and Brigley) added his 29th of the season a little over nine minutes later, capitalizing on a rebound. Isley’s efforts made the difference, cutting through the left side and feeding Grubbe, whose shot was initially denied by Broncos’ netminder Reid Dyck.
It is not like the Broncos played terrible though. However, the Rebels’ defense and Kelsey’s performance held strong, securing the win. Overall, it was an impressive victory for the Rebels, and Kelsey’s outstanding performance deservedly earned him the game’s first star.
Other Notes
Rebels next game is Saturday against the Swift Current Broncos again.
Attendance in Red Deer was 4,367
Three stars were 1) Kyle Kelsey 2) Frantisek Formanek 3) Quentin Bourne
Kalan Lind is still out and also Christoffer Sedoff was sitting out with an injury.
Playoffs will start March 31st with the Rebels having home advantage.
