nivek_wahs
04-03-2007, 04:13 AM
http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=107&cat=40&id=865208&more=
Let’s play seven
By DANNY RODE
Advocate staff
Apr 02 2007
Rebels 6 Tigers 5
The Western Hockey League Eastern Conference quarter-final series has come down to a one-game, winner-take-all showdown and that’s just fine with the Red Deer Rebels.
The Rebels forced the deciding game in the best-of-seven series with the Medicine Hat Tigers with a wild 6-5 victory before 6,340 highly entertained fans at the Centrium Sunday night.
Rebels head coach/GM Brent Sutter is looking forward to trip south Tuesday.
“We played well there this series and there’s no reason why we can’t go back and do the same thing again,” he said.
The Rebels won 6-2 in the opening game of the series in Medicine Hat, then lost 5-0 and 4-0 in their next two games down south.
“We didn’t score, but it wasn’t because we played poorly, their goaltender (Matt Keetley) played well,” added Sutter, who believed from the outset his team had the talent and character to take the highly rated Tigers to the limit.
“No one expected us to be in Game 7 except the coaches and players in our room,” added Sutter. “We weren’t supposed to be here. They’re the greatest team that was ever made.”
Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said he wasn’t surprised to see the series go the limit.
“Not at all. They played us tough all year and they’ve been great at home, plus we had some guys out earlier. But the biggest thing is they’re a big team that plays hard and in the playoffs that’s the kind of team that’s tough to play against.
“They played with a lot of emotion tonight, now we have to match that Tuesday.”
Desjardins does like the fact the game is in Medicine Hat.
“We played all season to get home ice advantage, now we have it and we have to take advantage of it.”
The Rebels looked like world beaters in the first period, jumping into a 3-0 lead as Karey Pieper scored twice and Brett Sutter notched a shorthanded marker on a great pass from Martin Hanzal on a two-on-one. Pieper’s second goal set the stage for the wild night as he intercepted a Keetley clearing attempt, then banked the puck in off the Medicine Hat Tiger goaltender from the goal line deep in the corner.
“He was kind of fighting the puck all night and that second one was certainly fortunate,” said Pieper, who was moved onto a line with Brandon Sutter and Dustin Moore. He replaced Brennen Wray, who was serving a one-game suspension following a hit from behind on Kris Russell in Game 5.
“It was the first time I’ve played with those guys and it worked out,” said Pieper, who believes the Rebels can carry over the momentum into Game 7.
“The No. 1 thing is to be disciplined, yet we can’t sit back either. Hopefully the refs won’t help them out like they did the last two games.”
The Rebels took 12 of 21 minor penalties and were two-men short twice early in the third period when the Tigers scored twice to tie the score 5-5.
“It was almost surreal what was going on,” said Sutter. “We were in control going into the third period then they score twice with a two-man advantage.”
Later it appeared that the Rebels would go up two men when Hanzal appeared to be tripped in the corner with the Rebels on the power play. However, there was no call.
“You sit there and ask yourself why, but I don’t officiate . . . they call the game and at the end of the day we won and it doesn’t matter how we did it, the thing is we played a heck of a game,” said Sutter.
“In fact outside of the penalties we played well and did what we needed to do.”
Red Deer native Daine Todd and Coronation’s Kris Russell scored for the Tigers with the two man advantage but Hanzal drilled a one-time shot past Keetley while on the power play at 11:19 for the winner.
Hanzal and Ted Vandermeer also scored in the second period for the Rebels while Darren Helm, on a shorthanded breakaway, Jerrid Sauer and Derek Dorsett connected for the Tigers.
“In the end was scarier than we wanted, especially with those two power play goals, but we stuck with it,” said Vandermeer.
“We showed a lot of character. Brent built this team from Day 1 for situations just like this. When things aren’t going our way we’re still able to persevere.”
The Rebels finished with 35 shots on Keetley while James Reimer faced 25 in the Red Deer net.
Keetley didn’t play his best, but Desjardins wasn’t about to criticize him.
“He was great at home and won that game for us, so it all evens out,” he said. “Overall we have to be better as a team, especially defensively.”
Contact Danny Rode at drode@reddeeradvocate.com
Let’s play seven
By DANNY RODE
Advocate staff
Apr 02 2007
Rebels 6 Tigers 5
The Western Hockey League Eastern Conference quarter-final series has come down to a one-game, winner-take-all showdown and that’s just fine with the Red Deer Rebels.
The Rebels forced the deciding game in the best-of-seven series with the Medicine Hat Tigers with a wild 6-5 victory before 6,340 highly entertained fans at the Centrium Sunday night.
Rebels head coach/GM Brent Sutter is looking forward to trip south Tuesday.
“We played well there this series and there’s no reason why we can’t go back and do the same thing again,” he said.
The Rebels won 6-2 in the opening game of the series in Medicine Hat, then lost 5-0 and 4-0 in their next two games down south.
“We didn’t score, but it wasn’t because we played poorly, their goaltender (Matt Keetley) played well,” added Sutter, who believed from the outset his team had the talent and character to take the highly rated Tigers to the limit.
“No one expected us to be in Game 7 except the coaches and players in our room,” added Sutter. “We weren’t supposed to be here. They’re the greatest team that was ever made.”
Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said he wasn’t surprised to see the series go the limit.
“Not at all. They played us tough all year and they’ve been great at home, plus we had some guys out earlier. But the biggest thing is they’re a big team that plays hard and in the playoffs that’s the kind of team that’s tough to play against.
“They played with a lot of emotion tonight, now we have to match that Tuesday.”
Desjardins does like the fact the game is in Medicine Hat.
“We played all season to get home ice advantage, now we have it and we have to take advantage of it.”
The Rebels looked like world beaters in the first period, jumping into a 3-0 lead as Karey Pieper scored twice and Brett Sutter notched a shorthanded marker on a great pass from Martin Hanzal on a two-on-one. Pieper’s second goal set the stage for the wild night as he intercepted a Keetley clearing attempt, then banked the puck in off the Medicine Hat Tiger goaltender from the goal line deep in the corner.
“He was kind of fighting the puck all night and that second one was certainly fortunate,” said Pieper, who was moved onto a line with Brandon Sutter and Dustin Moore. He replaced Brennen Wray, who was serving a one-game suspension following a hit from behind on Kris Russell in Game 5.
“It was the first time I’ve played with those guys and it worked out,” said Pieper, who believes the Rebels can carry over the momentum into Game 7.
“The No. 1 thing is to be disciplined, yet we can’t sit back either. Hopefully the refs won’t help them out like they did the last two games.”
The Rebels took 12 of 21 minor penalties and were two-men short twice early in the third period when the Tigers scored twice to tie the score 5-5.
“It was almost surreal what was going on,” said Sutter. “We were in control going into the third period then they score twice with a two-man advantage.”
Later it appeared that the Rebels would go up two men when Hanzal appeared to be tripped in the corner with the Rebels on the power play. However, there was no call.
“You sit there and ask yourself why, but I don’t officiate . . . they call the game and at the end of the day we won and it doesn’t matter how we did it, the thing is we played a heck of a game,” said Sutter.
“In fact outside of the penalties we played well and did what we needed to do.”
Red Deer native Daine Todd and Coronation’s Kris Russell scored for the Tigers with the two man advantage but Hanzal drilled a one-time shot past Keetley while on the power play at 11:19 for the winner.
Hanzal and Ted Vandermeer also scored in the second period for the Rebels while Darren Helm, on a shorthanded breakaway, Jerrid Sauer and Derek Dorsett connected for the Tigers.
“In the end was scarier than we wanted, especially with those two power play goals, but we stuck with it,” said Vandermeer.
“We showed a lot of character. Brent built this team from Day 1 for situations just like this. When things aren’t going our way we’re still able to persevere.”
The Rebels finished with 35 shots on Keetley while James Reimer faced 25 in the Red Deer net.
Keetley didn’t play his best, but Desjardins wasn’t about to criticize him.
“He was great at home and won that game for us, so it all evens out,” he said. “Overall we have to be better as a team, especially defensively.”
Contact Danny Rode at drode@reddeeradvocate.com