Giants Edge Rebels 6-5 in OT
January 10, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release
One night after a hearbreaking shootout loss to Lethbridge, the Rebels welcomed the Vancouver Giants for their lone visit to the Enmax Centrium this season.
FIRST PERIOD
Adam Helewka has had a tremendous impact since coming to the Rebels from Spokane and that continued in the opening period of this game. Helewka opened the scoring with a beauty goal 3:31 into the game, splitting the Giants defenders then going five hole on Ryan Kubic for his 21st goal of the year and a 1-0 Rebels lead. Haydn Fleury, extending his point streak to four games, and Nelson Nogier assisted on the goal.
Vancouver evened the game 1-1 at 11:57 when former Calgary Hitmen forward Chase Lang beat Trevor Martin for his 15th of the year.
Helewka put the Rebels ahead a second time at 16:34 when he went top shelf, short side on Kubic. Michael Spacek and Kayle Doetzel picked up the assists on the 2-1 Rebels goal.
SECOND PERIOD
The Giants took control of the game with three straight goals in the middle period. They started early with Lang beating Martin for the second time on the night 1:02 into the period for a 2-1 Vancouver lead.
Vancouver capitalized on a 5 on 3 power play at 6:58 as Alec Baer jammed home a loose puck for his 4th goal of the year making it 3-2 game. Dakota Odgers took a nice pass from Owen Hardy and put home his 6th of the year at 12:09 to put the Giants ahead 4-2.
Red Deer responded with a power play goal of their own to cut their deficit in half. Conner Bleackley slid a cross-crease pass to Michael Spacek who fired home his 12th goal of the year, second in as many nights, at 14:38 to make it 4-3. Ivan Nikolishin picked up the second assist on the Rebels goal.
THIRD PERIOD
The Giants regained a two goal lead when Ty Ronning tipped home a shot from Matt Barberis for his 24th goal of the year. The goal was another power play marker to put Vancouver ahead 5-3 5:29 into the 3rd.
Things looked grim for the Rebels as they trailed by two goals right up until the final minute of the period. Then, with Martin on the bench, the Rebels scored twice to force overtime. Helewka banked in his hat trick goal from along the goal line with 52.2 seconds remaining to make it 5-4.
With the clock ticking down, the Giants failed to clear the puck from their zone. It landed on the stick of Ivan Nikolishin who fired home the game-tying goal from the blue line with 11.5 seconds remaining. Ivan's 25th goal of the year sent this game to overtime tied 5-5.
OVERTIME
Trevor Martin won a foot race to a loose puck but the Rebels couldn't clear the zone. Ty Ronning followed up and banged home the game winner with 1:21 left in the extra frame. The Vancouver Giants win a thriller by a final score of 6-5.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2016
- Hart, Silvertips Control Spokane 3-1 - Everett Silvertips
- Ty Smith to Join Chiefs this Week - Spokane Chiefs
- Blazers Sweep Weekend with 3-0 Win in Portland - Kamloops Blazers
- Chiefs Fail to Capitalize on Chances, Lose 3-1 - Spokane Chiefs
- Winterhawks Fall 3-0 to Kamloops - Portland Winterhawks
- Pats Acquire Cole Sanford from Tigers - Regina Pats
- Silvertips Acquire Conditional Sixth Round Selection in 2017 WHL Bantam Draft from Brandon - Everett Silvertips
- Tigers Make Deadline Deal - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Oil Kings Trade Magnes to Seattle - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Hurricanes Acquire Kroeker from Regina - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- T-Birds Acquire Garan Magnes from Oil Kings - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Pats and Hurricanes Complete Trade - Regina Pats
- Giants Send Taphorn to Kootenay - Vancouver Giants
- Ice Acquire Prospect from Giants - Kootenay Ice
- Rebels Trade Adamson To Swift Current - Red Deer Rebels
- Hurricanes Trade Scott Allan to Calgary - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Hitmen Complete Trade Deadline Deal with Hurricanes - Calgary Hitmen
- Hitmen Complete Trade Deadline Deal with Raiders - Calgary Hitmen
- Raiders Swing Deal with Hitmen - Prince Albert Raiders
- Oil Kings Make It Four Straight Home Wins - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Warriors & Blazers Swap Imports - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Blazers Acquire Smejkal from Warriors - Kamloops Blazers
- Game Notes: Broncos Host Warriors in 2pm Matinee - Swift Current Broncos
- Barzal Lifts Silvertips over Seattle in OT - Everett Silvertips
- Rehill Scores OT Winner in 4-3 Win in Portland - Kamloops Blazers
- Royals Top Cougars - Victoria Royals
- Brandon Edges Broncos - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Chiefs Fall Behind Early in 7-2 Loss to Regina - Spokane Chiefs
- Barzal Blasts T-Birds Past Tips in Overtime - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Pats win 7-2 - Regina Pats
- Ronning Plays Hero in Red Deer - Vancouver Giants
- Rockets Squeak Past Americans 7-5 - Tri-City Americans
- Rockets defeat the Tri-City Americans 7-5 - Kelowna Rockets
- Rockets Beat Americans 7-5 in Wild One in Kelowna - Kelowna Rockets
- Hawks Fall 4-3 in Overtime to Kamloops Saturday - Portland Winterhawks
- Giants Edge Rebels 6-5 in OT - Red Deer Rebels
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