Bring your socks to the rink day in Edmonton🧦. This game signifies the third encounter out of a total of 10 scheduled meetings for the Oil Kings and Rebels this season. In the opening matches of this season series, both teams managed to secure a victory on the road during the season’s inaugural weekend.
The Oil Kings find themselves eager to snap a four-game losing streak, which was exacerbated by their most challenging defeat of the season – a 7-0 loss to the Saskatoon Blades in their recent game. This rough patch extends to them losing the first three games of their ongoing six-game homestand.
As for the Rebels, they arrive after winning just one out of their last four games. Their most recent result was a 4-3 shootout loss to the Pats in Regina on Friday night.
Carson Latimer scored his 4th goal of the season short handed with a sweet wrap around. With the assist going to Dwayne Jean Jr at 3:05 of the first period.
Kelowna native Rilen Kovacevic tied the game up at 8:46 with assists on the goal going to Cole Miller and Vojtech Port.
Carson Latimer scored again for the Rebels on the Power Play from Hunter Mayo and Kalan Lind at 10:13 of the first period. Making it a 2-1 game Rebels. The Oil Kings outshot the Rebels 14-7 that period.–Latimer restored Red Deer’s lead midway through the period, tipping home a point short by Hunter Mayo with the Rebels enjoying a man advantage.
Carson Birnie scored his first goal of the season at 1:08 of the third period on the Power Play. With the assists going to Kalan Lind and Quentin Bourne to make it a 3-1 game.–The Rebels grabbed a 3-1 lead with a power play goal 1:08 into the final frame, Carson Birnie scoring from a goalmouth scramble.
20 year old former Portland Winterhawk Aidan Litke made it a 3-2 game at 10:57 of the period. Assisted by Marshall Finnie and Marc Lajoie. With that assist it is Lajoie’s 100th career point in the WHL. This is 20 year old Lajoie’s 5th season in the Western Hockey League. The 6’5 220lb defenceman spent the previous 4 seasons in Tri City.
Frantisek Formanek got a beautiful goal which was his 2nd of the season assisted by Kai Uchacz and Jhett Larson. That makes it a 4-2 game Rebels.–The Rebels, however, pulled away for good with 2:36 remaining when Frantisek Formanek, from the left circle, spun and beat Hay with a backhand to the far side of the net.
Kai Uchacz sealed the game and made it a 5-2 game with an empty net goal with 29 seconds left in the game.–Kai Uchacz capped the evening with an empty net goal in the final minute.
Chase Wutzke made 33 saves on the 35 shots that he faced for the win. For the Oil Kings Abbotsford native Kolby Hay made 29 saves on the 34 shots that he faced.
Oil Kings outshot the Rebels 35-34.
3 stars of the game were 1) Carson Latimer 2) Marc Lajoie 3) Carson Birnie
Attendance in Edmonton was 4,573
Rebels next game is against the Oil Kings again on Tuesday in Edmonton again.
The Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Kelowna Rockets 9-2 Saturday night,. Shane Smith had a 5 point night.