SPORTS
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MONDAY, FEB. 3, 2014
Americans too much for Rebels RED DEER UNABLE TO STOP ONSLAUGHT OF PENALTIES BY GREG MEACHEM ADVOCATE SPORTS EDITOR Americans 4 Rebels 2 Winning games in the Western Hockey League can be difficult at the best of times. Attempting to win from the penalty box is usually an exercise in futility, as the Red Deer Rebels were reminded in a 4-2 loss to the Tri-City Americans Saturday in front of 5,304 fans at the Enmax Centrium. The Rebels gave up nine power-play opportunities, and although the visitors notched just a single man-advantage goal the home side wilted somewhat under the load. “We took too many minor penalties. We played nearly a full period of hockey — 18 minutes — shorthanded,” said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter. “During the road trip in Saskatchewan (from Jan. 22-25) we took 21 minor penalties in those games and our goalie bailed us out,” added Sutter, in reference to Patrik Bartosak’s outstanding play in three Red Deer victories. “We come back and play our first game here (a 4-3 shootout win over Brandon last Wednesday) and were pretty disciplined.” That wasn’t the case Saturday, especially in the second period when the Rebels were assessed five minors — including three in succession — after cutting the visitors’ lead to 2-1 early in the frame on a power-play tally by Evan Polei. “We get ourselves back in the game with a goal and then, bang, we take five minor penalties,” Sutter groaned. “It takes you right out of your rhythm and you end up short-handed on your bench. Your game isn’t where it needs to be and then you put yourself in a position where you’re battling from behind. “We need to be resilient, but you need discipline inside of that. You go through it with the kids and they don’t understand the discipline part of it and how it affects your flow.” Rookie Taz Burman got the start in the Red Deer net and struggled early, giving up a goal to Justin Gutierrez midway through the opening period and another to Beau McCue five minutes later. On the first marker, Burman was beaten while diving for a loose puck, and on the second goal he failed to get across the net and was beaten on the short side. “I thought after the first period Taz settled in, but even though he’s 16 and hasn’t played a lot of games,
Photo by ROB WALLATOR, freelance
Red Deer Rebels forward Rhyse Dieno checks Brian Williams of the Tri-City Americans during WHL action Saturday at the Enmax Centrium. Williams later scored an empty-net goal to seal a 4-2 victory for the visitors. those first two goals can’t happen at this level and at this time of the year,” said Sutter. “The first one he goes to pounce on the puck and fails to cover up, and that second one . . . that’s a play that just can’t happen, a play your goalie has to make for you. Obviously mistakes were made before that point and we understand that, but we need to have goaltending, as does every team at this time of the year. “His last two periods he was really good, he made some really good saves on the penalty kill. “He’s a young goalie who is learning the process here and we have to be patient, but at the same time we have to recognize that when you’re pushing for a playoff spot and hoping to move up in the standings, that goaltending is an important part of that. Like I
told Taz, when he gets a chance to play he can’t give up easy goals. You have to make teams beat you.” The Americans restored their two-goal cushion at 13:30 of the middle frame. With the visitors on an extended five-on-three power play, Tri-City captain and Red Deer product Mitch Topping blew a slapshot past Burman. Captain Conner Bleackley brought the Rebels back into contention when he buried a power-play rebound at 7:26 of the third period. Red Deer pressed for the tying goal late and had momentum on their side when Bleackley was called for boarding when in fact he was simply finishing his check by rubbing a player out along the wall.
Please see REBELS on Page B2
Seahawks win the Super Bowl AFTER A LONG WAIT, SEATTLE FANS CELEBRATE BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SEATTLE — With shouts, cheers and fireworks, Seattle residents celebrated a dominant victory in the Super Bowl — the city’s first major sports championship in more than 30 years. Thousands of people took to the streets throughout the city and Seattle police planned an increased presence throughout the city Sunday night. They sent a tweet on the department’s widely followed Twitter account saying, “Officers will be out and about citywide making sure everyone is celebrating safely.” The Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8. The last time a major Seattle sports franchise won a championship was in 1979 when the Supersonics took the NBA title. The WNBA’s Seattle Storm have won two championships, in 2004 and 2010. Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement that a Seahawks victory parade would happen Wednesday. Fans blared horns and launched fireworks. In the University District, near the University of Washington, fire crews extinguished at least one bonfire as rowdy fans were out in force. In Occidental Park in Pioneer Square, near CenturyLink Field where the Seahawks play, people waving “12th Man” flags took to the street, and others climbed trees and sculptures. Fans in some neighbourhoods blocked traffic. Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson said Sunday night the biggest concentrations of people were downtown and in the University District. He said no major disturbances had been reported. Senayet Woldemarian, a 29-year-old physical therapist from The north Seattle Suburb of Shoreline, shrieked giddily and waved her Seahawks flag at honking cars on a North Seattle street: “We got our first Super Bowl!” Her friend, wedding photographer Taylor Olcott, 28, said it reminded her a little of being in Boston in 2004, when the Red Sox won baseball’s World Series for the first time since 1918. “This is the first time I’ve really seen Seattle passionate about anything,” she said. “It’s, like, East Coast. It’s very exciting.” About 30 people watched the game at the Outlander Brewery in Seattle’s Fremont neighbourhood.
Please see SEATTLE on Page B2
Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J. The Seahawks won 43-8.
FIRST TITLE FOR SEATTLE BY BARRY WILNER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Waiting to get their hands on the Lombardi Trophy, the Seahawks were surrounded by security guards in orange jackets. It was the first time anyone in that colour stopped them all night. The Seahawks stayed true to their mantra to make each day a championship day. They made Super Bowl Sunday the best day of all with one of the greatest performances in an NFL title game — sparked by a defence that ranks among the best ever. The Seahawks won their first Super Bowl crown by punishing Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 438. That masterful defence, the NFL’s stingiest, never let the five-time MVP get going, disarming the highest-scoring offence in league history. “The only way we could say we were the best defence was to take down the best offence,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said.
Seattle (16-3) was too quick, too physical and just too good for Denver. What was hyped as a classic matchup between an unstoppable offence and a miserly defence turned into a rout. “We’ve been relentless all season,” quarterback Russell Wilson said. “Having that mentality of having a championship day every day. At the end of the day, you want to play your best football and that is what we did today.” Punctuating Seattle’s dominance were a 69-yard interception return touchdown by linebacker Malcolm Smith to make it 22-0, and Percy Harvin’s sensational 87-yard kickoff return to open the second half. “I always imagined myself making great plays,” said Smith, the game’s MVP. “Never thought about being the MVP.” When the Seahawks, up by 29 points, forced a Denver punt early in the third quarter, the 12th Man — and there were legions of them in MetLife Stadium — began chanting “L-O-B, LO-B.” As in Legion of Boom, the Seahawks’ hard-hitting secondary, part of
Greg Meachem, Sports Editor, 403-314-4363 E-mail gmeachem@reddeeradvocate.com
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a young team with an average age of 26 years, 138 days. “This is an amazing team. Took us four years to get to this point, but they never have taken a step sideways,” coach Pete Carroll said. “These guys would not take anything but winning this ballgame.” The loss by the Broncos again raised questions about Manning’s ability to win the biggest games. He is 11-12 in the post-season, 1-2 in Super Bowls. After the game, he brushed off questions about his legacy. “Certainly to finish this way is very disappointing. It’s not an easy pill to swallow,” said Manning, who threw for a record 55 touchdowns in 2013, two years after missing an entire season because of neck surgeries. “I don’t know if you ever really get over it.” He never looked comfortable against a defence some will begin comparing to the 1985 Bears and 2000 Ravens — other NFL champions who had runaway Super Bowl victories.
Please see VICTORY on Page B2
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