Thoughts on the upcoming battle with the Tigers

[Rebel66]

Ok, we now know who the Rebels are facing and it's a matchup I'm really looking forward to. A tilt with the Ice would have been nowhere near as entertaining, imo. The Tigers are a dynamic and exciting team while the Ice are much more fundamentally sound in their approach. Some might call it dull, I just call it effective. Regardless, this is the best matchup for the Rebels in the circumstances.

Some random thoughts:

-I really wonder how the Rebels Euros will do. I have high hopes actually. Certain Euros have the potential of disappearing when the going gets tough but these guys are the real deal. Starkov has really picked his play up of late, after a tough run for a while. Hanzal has the potential to be a real star in the playoffs a la Marty Erat. Perhaps he's not as explosive but he has the most amazing puck handling skills.

-This might be really obvious but, nonetheless, it's certainly true. The Rebels fortunes in this series will likely hinge on the play of James Reimer. If he plays like we all know he can, without giving up the weak goals he occasionally has this season, then the Rebels have a chance.

-Are coach Sutters lines set in stone now? He has been changing them up fairly regularly it seems. I thought that the forward lines against the Hitmen tonight were very promising. Any thoughts?

-I have a feeling that Dustin Moore could be a great performer in the playoffs. He has the right mentality and will to win that comes in handy at this time of year. His return from injury saw a dip in form. I believe that that will change in the Tigers series.

-Brett Sutter has been playing very well the last three or four games. He is so consistant and is another key to any success by the team. I would look for him to have a good playoff performance too.

-I was surprised to see so many defencemen scratched tonight. At this time of year it will be hard to glean any infomation but does anybody have any ideas about injuries?

-Medicine Hat are an excellent team, of course. They have so many potential weapons it really would be hard to know where to start with them. However, if there was one player who would be the first name on my teamsheet it would be Kris Russell. What an absolutely great player he is. A real leader in more ways than one, and incredibly difficult to control. The Rebels will really have to find a way to deal with him or this could be a short series.

-After that there are so many others standouts for the team though. Chris Stevens is a royal P.I.T.A. but also the type of player you'd love to have on your team. The same could be said of Dorsett. If he fails to recover from injury, as seems likely, then he will be sorely missed. Good news for the Rebels though.
Helm may have dropped off, goals wise, from last season but is still a real solid dangerous player who's still raking in the points. Tyler Ennis has turned into a great little player. I could continue with Schlemko, Bosch, Undershute and more but you get the picture. This is a deep talented group of players. Oh yeah, and they have a very good goalie in Keetley too. (However, us stalwarts in section R have gotten into his head now! He is bugged by us, especially when you consider his reaction towards us after their 5 on 3 OT winner last time out! :D )

When all is said and done the Rebels will have to be at their absolute best to have any chance of advancing.

Prediction: My heart says Rebels in six. My head goes the other way; Tigers in six hard fought games.

However whatever happens I'm...........

KEEPING THE FAITH!!!!
GO REBELS!!!!

[SectionNDeserter]

-This might be really obvious but, nonetheless, it's certainly true. The Rebels fortunes in this series will likely hinge on the play of James Reimer. If he plays like we all know he can, without giving up the weak goals he occasionally has this season, then the Rebels have a chance.He will certainly play a big role in the Rebel's fortunes, but the single biggest factor that has changed whether or not the Rebels compete with the Tigers this season has been the officiating. The Tigers defense, while talented rides the ragged edge of committing a LOT of interference penalties. Some officials just let them go with this, others have called them on it this year. The interference penalties usually drop substantially in the playoffs, and if this is the case, it will be a very tough series for the Rebels.


-I have a feeling that Dustin Moore could be a great performer in the playoffs. He has the right mentality and will to win that comes in handy at this time of year. His return from injury saw a dip in form. I believe that that will change in the Tigers series. I think that he may have officially entered playoff mode last night, as I saw him throw 2 of the 3 hits I have seen him make since he returned from his injury.


-I was surprised to see so many defencemen scratched tonight. At this time of year it will be hard to glean any infomation but does anybody have any ideas about injuries?Berube - Charley horse, Morin was supposedly sore after blocking a shot, and Lamoureux has a broken jaw.



-Medicine Hat are an excellent team, of course. They have so many potential weapons it really would be hard to know where to start with them. However, if there was one player who would be the first name on my teamsheet it would be Kris Russell. What an absolutely great player he is. A real leader in more ways than one, and incredibly difficult to control. The Rebels will really have to find a way to deal with him or this could be a short series.

Helm may have dropped off, goals wise, from last season but is still a real solid dangerous player who's still raking in the points. Tyler Ennis has turned into a great little player. I could continue with Schlemko, Bosch, Undershute and more but you get the picture. This is a deep talented group of players. Oh yeah, and they have a very good goalie in Keetley too. (However, us stalwarts in section R have gotten into his head now! He is bugged by us, especially when you consider his reaction towards us after their 5 on 3 OT winner last time out! :D )The Rebels have had success with shadowing Russell this season, and they have had success with shadowing Helm this season. What they haven't had success at, is shadowing BOTH of them at the same time, as one or the other always seems to kill us.


Prediction: My heart says Rebels in six. My head goes the other way; Tigers in six hard fought games.My heart too says Rebels in six, but my head says that the officiating will almost certainly ease up, and the Tigers D will smother any sort of attack the Rebels can muster, and take out the Rebels in 5.

[Rebrevs]

Unfortunately Morin is out for the rest of the season with a broken knee cap courtsey of the blocked shot in the Tuesday game vs Calgary. Sounds like Berube should be back. Definitely won't be seeing Lamoureux.

I think it will be a hard fought series and am looking forward to it. Dorsett's absence WILL make a difference. My wish is that Brandon Sutter can find his legs. I think after playing on the 2 U-18 teams last spring and the in the Prospects Game, this is one tired boy. Maybe we'll get the assistance of a kid like Ferraro but it sounds like his team is pretty competitive right now.

GO REBELS GO!!!!! Nothing beats the playoffs....especially against Med Hat.

[Tiger9]

My heart too says Rebels in six, but my head says that the officiating will almost certainly ease up, and the Tigers D will smother any sort of attack the Rebels can muster, and take out the Rebels in 5.

Come on SectionN, the playoffs haven't even started yet and you are blaming the refs. As Tigers fans, we can complain the the Rebels have the Sutter advantage when it comes to reffing. He has a way of intimidating the refs and creating some phantom Rebel PP's.

[Tiger Trauma]

I cant wait for playoffs either. The chanting/noise, and intensity from both teams picks up a whole other notch.

Actually during the season each team had 54 powerplay chances

[SectionNDeserter]

As Tigers fans, we can complain the the Rebels have the Sutter advantage when it comes to reffing. He has a way of intimidating the refs and creating some phantom Rebel PP's.You could be right. Either side of the fence you sit on, officiating has played a key role in the season series between these two teams. Medicine Hat has a more experienced and talented team on paper (It is almost mind-boggling that a few of them are still playing in the WHL at the level they are at). If we get a bunch of refs that are scared of Sutter, the Rebels probably have a chance. If we get a bunch of refs that really like obstruction, and don't care if the players just drag around behind each other, then the Tigers will easily take the series in 4.

[Tiger9]

Are any of you Rebs fans making the trip down for games 1 and 2?

[hockey4]

i talked to the rebs office the other day, they said they only have so many tickets to give away. im thinking relatives and such would be given first dibs and then whatever they have left we get to buy. They didnt give me too many details but ive been told by other people that was the case a few years ago with Med hat seeing you cant get tickets cause it just aint a big building.

[SectionNDeserter]

I've heard from a lot of people that getting tickets in the Hat is a little rough, there is only something like 3-400 tickets available beyond what is used by the season ticket holders and such.

[hockey4]

id better clear my statement up. I beleive the tigers give the rebels XX number of tickets (not sure how many), and from what i understand, there are enough for all the players and such, and then fans have the oportunity to purchase the rest. So im on the list anyway for tickets should there be extras. its worth a call to the rebs office.