Buzz Schleper congratulated his employees on a job well done this week, but the celebration was only partially directed at their performance in his Gore Creek Drive shop. Schleper said while he appreciates his workers’.
Having broken through for their first win of the season, the Red Deer Rebels are hoping to ride a wave of confidence into their first three-game weekend of the WHL season.
The Rebels climbed into the win column in their fourth game of the season with a 3-2 overtime triumph over the Calgary Hitmen last Saturday at the Westerner Park Centrium.
“That was pretty cool. It was just good to get the first one out of the way,” said veteran forward Arshdeep Bains, who played the role of overtime hero..
The Rebels played well at times during their previous three games but also faulted during key stretches on their way to a 0-2-1 start.
The Medicine Hat Tigers capped off an opening weekend sweep of the Red Deer Rebels with a 7-2 triumph Saturday night at the Co-op Centre in Medicine Hat.
The Tigers pounced early and often as they stormed out to a 4-0 first period lead. Cole Clayton started things off as his wrist shot from the point just 36 seconds into the game handcuffed Bryon Fancy, who got the start in net for Red Deer, for a 1-0 lead.
It was 2-0 just under two minutes later after Ryan Chyzowski beat Fancy for a power play tally at the 3:34 mark.
Lukas Svejkovsky made it 3-0 with his second goal of the season at 12:11. Oasiz Weisblatt made it 4-0 when he forced a turnover before beating Fancy high to the short side for his first WHL goal. That spelled the end of the night for Fancy as he was replaced between the pipes by Ethan Anders after allowing four goals on 12 shots.