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Red Deer Rebels

Rebels Win 3-2 Over Regina

April 10, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


Evan Polei's fourth goal of the WHL playoffs was the lone even-strength marker in Saturday's clash at the Centrium.

It was also the winner.

The big winger carried the puck over the blueline following a turnover, took a feed from Colton Bobyk, skated into the right face-off circle and from his off wing wired a high shot past Regina Pats netminder Tyler Brown at 7:51 of the third period.

His goal completed a Rebels rally from a 2-0 first-period deficit and stood up as the difference in a 3-2 victory before 5,845 fans.

Red Deer grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal that resumes Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Centrium.

"It's always nice to score a goal," said Polei. "It was just a nice opportunity and a good play by Bobyk to get me the puck. I got an opportunity and it was nice to capitalize."

The game's third star admitted his actual execution on the goal didn't follow his first instinct.

"I was thinking about cutting to the middle and putting it low blocker," said Polei. "Then I realized he (Brown) was going to be cheating that way so I just took a quick shot and put it upstairs."

The visitors struck first with a goal credited to defenceman Colby Williams, whose power-play point shot deflected off the glove of Rebels rearguard Kayle Doetzel and past netminder Trevor Martin just 1:26 into the contest.

Cole Sanford made it 2-0 with another extra-man marker at 13:04. With Adam Helewka serving his second penalty of the period, Sanford, all alone in the low slot, took a corner pass from Adam Brooks and beat Martin five-hole.

"We took some bad penalties in the first period, a couple that were 200 feet from our net," said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter.

The Pats outshot their hosts 10-4 in the opening frame and were full value for their two-goal lead at the intermission.

The Rebels started to get untracked just before the midway point of the second period and their comeback door opened when the Pats were assessed two infractions - Williams for slashing and Robbie Holmes for hooking - on the same shift.

The Rebels took full advantage, as Helewka buried a rebound at 12:46 during the two-man advantage and Bobyk connected on the second half of the power play, his point shot glancing off the post and falling in behind Brown at 13:14.

The Rebels outshot their guests 14-4 in the middle stanza and 13-8 in the final frame.

"They capitalized on two penalties, but our penalty killing was good after that, then we got a break in the second when they took two penalties on one shift," said Sutter. "We capitalized on both of those and that seemed to give us some momentum and got us thinking the right way. The guys started skating and getting a feel for the game.

"In the first period we were skating in quicksand and they (Pats) won a lot of battles. They outplayed us in the first, but after that we got going and started finding our legs."

The Rebels penalty killers fell flat in the first period but came up big late in the contest when Jake DeBrusk and Doetzel were penalized just over a minute apart, giving the visitors a two-man advantage for 48 seconds.

The Pats generated very little on the power play, their last grade A opportunity of the contest.

"Obviously that was a huge kill," said Sutter. "To kill those penalties off was significant."

The message to the Red Deer players during the first intermission was clear - pick up the pace and play with intensity.

"The emotion level had to pick up," said Sutter. "We were playing on our heels. That's not taking anything away from Regina because they had a heck of a first period.

"But we needed to get ourselves into the game. We're playing a different team than in the last series (versus the Calgary Hitmen). You have to move your feet and win a lot of one-on-one battles.

"It's a different series and we went through that for the last five days. I just didn't think we reacted well to it in the first period, but as the game went on we got better which is encouraging. Now this game is over and we move on to Game 2."

The Rebels plan for Game 2? Come out of the game with more fire.

"We didn't start off very good tonight and the last half of the game we were way better, for sure," said Polei.

"Brent wasn't too happy (after the first period) and I don't blame him. Our start was below average and we definitely need to start better to beat this team in upcoming games.

"They're a great hockey team. They play hard and physical every night so we need to be on the ball from the start of the game."

Martin made 20 saves while posting his fifth win of the playoffs. Brown kicked out 28 shots for the Pats.

The third and fourth games of the series will be played in Regina Tuesday and Wednesday.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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