This is the first of 9 meetings of the Rebels against the Hitmen this season. Trailing 2-0 following the first period, the Calgary Hitmen mounted an impressive comeback, netting six consecutive goals in a 7-4 victory against the visiting Red Deer Rebels on a Saturday night clash at Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Hitmen showcased their scoring with contributions from seven different players. Oliver Tulk led the charge with a three-point performance, consisting of one goal and two assists. Joining him in the spotlight were Ben Kindel with one goal and one assist, Carter Yakemchuk with a similar stat line, and Sean Tschigerl, Keets Fawcett, and Carson Wetsch, all chipping in with two assists each. Tulk’s goal extended his scoring streak to four consecutive games. Other goal scorers for the Hitmen included Carter MacAdams, Reese Hamilton, David Adaszynski, and Tyson Greenway. It was a night where 13 different Hitmen players managed to record at least a single point on the scoresheet.
At 13:23 of the first period while on a 5 on 3 Kai Uchacz scores his 6th goal of the season to make it a 1-0 Rebels game. Assists on the goal to Jhett Larson and Mats Lindgren.– Kai Uchacz capped a give-and-go with Jhett Larson with Red Deer on the power play.
Elias Carmichael scored just over 2 minutes later at 15:26 to make it a 2-0 game. Thats Carmichael’s first goal as Red Deer Rebel. Assists on the goal to Ollie Josephson and Carson Latimer. Not certain if he meant to score or even shoot it on the net but I’m sure he’ll take it.– Elias Carmichael’s wrister from the point got past netminder Alex Garrett.
Hitmen outshot the Rebels 16-10
Former Prince George Cougar 19 year old Carter McAdams puts the Hitmen on the board at 2:30 of the second period. Assist on the goal to Grimshaw, Alberta native Keets Fawcett.–Carter MacAdam’s shot glanced off Rebels defenceman Matteo Fabrizi and by Stoesser 2:30 into the middle frame.
Oliver Tulk makes it a 2-0 Hitmen game when he scores his 8th goal of the season on a tip in. Assists on the goal to Carter Yakemchuk and Dax Williams.–Oliver Tuck scored on a goalmouth tip just under six minutes later to pull the Hitmen even.
16 year old Whitewood, Saskatchewan native Reese Hamilton scored his 4th goal of the season at 10:25 of the period with assists to Surrey, BC native Chase Valliant and Keets Fawcett.–Reese Hamilton beat a screened Stoesser from just inside the blueline.
Carter Yakemchuk on the Power Play at 14:56 of the second period. The goal is Yakemchuk’s 5th of the season and it was assisted by Oliver Tulk and 16 year old rookie Coquitlam, BC native Ben Kindle.–Before the period was out fellow defenceman Carter Yakemchuk scored from the high slot during a power play.
Hitmen outshot the Rebels in the second period the exact same as the first 16-10.
Ben Kindle scored his 3rd goal of the season just 51 seconds into the third period to make it a 5-2 Hitmen game just 49 seconds into the third period. Assists on the goal to Oliver Tulk and 20 year old Whitecourt, AB native Sean Tschigerl
David Adaszynski gets his second goal of the season while virtually standing on the doorstep to make it a 6-2 game for the Hitmen at 2:52 of the third period. The assists on the goal to Carson Wetsch and Tyson Galloway.
Kai Uchacz scored his second goal of the night on the Power Play at 10:53 to make it a 6-3 game. The assists on the goal went to Jhett Larson and Carson Birnie.–Uchacz notched his second of the night on the power play with a backhand from the doorstep.
Carson Latimer cuts the Hitmen lead to within 2 when he scores his 7th goal of the season to make it a 6-4 game at 12:02 of the third period. Assist on the goal to Jhett Larson.-Carson Latimer cashed a nifty feed from Jhett Larson just over a minute later.
20 year old veteran former Tri City American Tyson Greenway scores into the empty net to make the game 6-4 Hitmen. With the assists on the goal to Sean Tschigerl and Carson Wetsch.–But Red Deer was unable to draw any closer and the Hitmen closed out the scoring in the final minute with an empty-net tally courtesy of Tyson Greenway.
Shots in the third period were 17-16 Hitmen. The Hitmen outshot the Rebels in the game 49-36.
Saskatoon native 18 year old rookie Alex Garrett made 32 saves on the 36 shots he faced for the win. While Rhett Stoesser made 42 saves on the 48 shots he faced for the Rebels.
Three Stars of the game 1) Oliver Tulk 2) Keets Fawcett 3) Jhett Larson according to the Rebels Twitter. According to the WHL website it was 1) Oliver Tulk 2) Keets Fawcett 3) Ben Kindell. I say the WHL website is bias as the WHLs headquarters are in Calgary🤔🤪🤪
Attendance at the Saddle Dome in Calgary was 2473. Strange as I remember about 10 years ago there I would go to the games and the attendance was always about 8 or 9 thousand. Everythings so expensive now probably has a lot to do with it.
Rebels next game is Friday November 3rd in Kamloops against the Blazers. Then Saturday night against the Rockets in Kelowna. Then they are in Victoria on Tuesday the 7th. Over to Vancouver on Wednesday the 8th. They then head all the way up to Prince George for a game on the 10th against the Cougars. They also go play Calgary again in Calgary before coming back to Red Deer on November 18th to play guess who? The Calgary Hitmen.
Carter Yakemchuk is ranked at mynhldraft at 25th in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. “A product of Calgary-area minor hockey, Yakemchuk was a third-round pick by the Hitmen in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. He joined the Hitmen in 2021-22, putting up four goals and 13 points in 56 games in his rookie season. He followed that up with a really impressive 2022-23 season, posting 19 goals and 47 points in 67 games – earning a second team divisional all-star nod – and helped Canada capture bronze at the men’s under-18 World Championships. Yakemchuk was one of just two WHL players on McKenzie’s top 16, the other being Spokane Chiefs centre Berkly Catton (who came in at sixth). Two others merited honourable mention from McKenzie: Brandon defender Charlie Elick and Medicine Hat centre Cayden Lindstrom. The 2024 NHL Draft is slated to late June 2024, but the date and host city have yet to be announced by the league.” LINK