Rebels Give up First Goal But Rebound for Hard-Earned Win over Pats
November 11, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release
REGINA - It wasn't a classic performance by the Red Deer Rebels Wednesday evening, but they were good enough to rack up their 11th WHL victory of the season.
"I'm happy with the guys. They weren't quite as sharp as usual in the first period but they got going and found a way to win against a team that's been playing real good hockey," said Rebels head coach Steve Konowalchuk, following a 3-2 win over the Regina Pats before a recorded crowd of 5,692 at the Brandt Centre.
"It's not always going to be as pretty as you want but we found a way."
The Pats opened the scoring 3:35 into the contest when Tanner Howe, from directly off a faceoff in the Rebels end, slipped into the low slot and beat netminder Chase Coward to the top of the net.
The Rebels, however, battled back to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Kai Uchacz broke hard to the net and cashed a perfect feed from Talon Brigley at 15:01, and, three minutes later, Kalan Lind hauled in a pass from Uchacz and beat goalie Matthew Kieper to the short side from low in the left circle.
The hosts drew even on a second-period power play as Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Stanislav Svozil notched his first-ever WHL goal with a blast from the point that Coward never saw.
The Pats had an opportunity to assume the lead when Rebels forward Blake Stevenson was assessed a high sticking penalty later in the period.
Instead, Brigley pounced on a turnover at the Red Deer blueline, out-raced a pair of Regina defenders and notched the eventual winner with a high shot to the glove side of Keiper.
The goal, on a short-handed breakaway, was the first WHL tally for the 16-year-old Red Deer rookie.
"A real nice game from him," said Konowalchuk. "He's a good hockey player, a smart player who competes hard, and he has some speed to go with it. He's a nice player to have going forward, for sure."
The Rebels didn't create much offensively in the third period, but they didn't give the Pats much either and were able to hang on for their third win of a six-game road trip that ends Friday in Prince Albert.
"We knew it would be tough," said Konowalchuk. "It's a good hockey team over there. They'd won four in a row so they were playing with a lot of confidence.
"We got scored against first but we got going and did a good job after that. We took a lead into the third period and played pretty smart for the most part."
Notable: Coward posted his sixth win of the season with a stellar 32-save outing. Kieper stopped 23 shots at the other end . . . The Rebels were zero-for-two on the power play, the Pats one-for-two . . . Somehow, Brigley wasn't selected as a game star on a night he was easily one of the best players on the ice. The honours went to (1) Uchacz, which was well deserved, (2) Svozil and (3) Pats defenceman Ryker Evans . . . The Rebels will return home following Friday's game in Prince Albert. Their next game will be Nov. 19 versus the visiting Calgary Hitmen.
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