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WHL Red Deer Rebels

Rebels Keep Their Season Alive with Impressive Win over Hurricanes

March 29, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


The Red Deer Rebels turned the tables on the Lethbridge Hurricanes Wednesday at the Centrium.

After being throttled in the special teams department through the first three games of their WHL Eastern Conference quarter-final, the Rebels scored with a man advantage and also while short-handed and killed off all four Lethbridge power plays.

It all added up to a 5-2 win before 4,289 fans and forced a fifth game, set for Saturday in Lethbridge.

"Obviously we needed a win," said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter, whose team was on the verge of being swept in the best-of-seven series after falling 5-4 in overtime Tuesday.

"We did a lot of good things. We had certain individuals play better tonight and our team game was better, it wasn't as loose as it was last night. Plus we capitalized on some opportunities and got some key saves."

Indeed, netminder Ethan Anders played a major role in the outcome, turning aside 28 shots, including all 12 he faced in the third period.

With the Rebels up 3-2 just past the midway point of the final frame, the rookie stopper stoned Calen Addison from the low slot.

Seconds later Red Deer defenceman Alex Alexeyev broke in on a two-on-oh breakaway with Mason McCarty, and while faking a pass, slipped the puck past 'Canes goaltender Logan Flodell.

Anders then made a great save on Taylor Ross, on a redirect, and stopped Addison again during the same stretch to protect the two-goal lead.

Kristian Reichel capped the win with a short-handed, empty-net marker in the final minute.

"Andy made a couple key saves late in the third. They had some good quality scoring chances but he stopped the puck, which is huge at this time of the year," said Rebels forward Reese Johnson, who was selected as the game's second star after scoring once and adding an assist.

With their season on the line, the Rebels stormed out of the gate and opened the scoring 7:33 into the contest when Johnson broke to the net and converted a nifty backhand pass from Brandon Cutler.

"Every game you want to get the (early) lead on the scoreboard, but it was huge this game," said Johnson.

The visitors drew even in the final minute of the first with a fluke goal from defenceman Matthew Stanley, whose pass attempt from the corner appeared to go in off a Red Deer skate.

Tate Olson staked the 'Canes to a 2-1 lead at 15:17 of the middle period, but Anders didn't yield another goal the rest of the way.

"He probably would like to have that first one back, but he didn't get rattled from it. He settled in," said Sutter.

"I talked to him this morning about that, about if something mysteriously happens which isn't exactly the way you want it, you can't get down. You just have to keep your focus, keep yourself in the game and make the next save. He did that and carried on with it."

McCarty replied for the Rebels just 58 seconds after Olson's goal, burying a centering pass from Johnson, and Brandon Hagel, on the power play, gave the home side a permanent lead when he cashed a rebound 38 seconds into the third.

While Anders came up big, particularly in the final period, so did the Rebels' special teams.

"To kill the penalties, that's huge . . . to get the power play goal too," said Sutter. "Again, it's just having better awareness, doing things better and sticking to the little details we were getting away from.

"They have a good power play, but you can't be giving them freebees. We also got the saves when we needed them, and that's important."

Red Deer's top line of Hagel, McCarty and Reichel combined for five points and drew praise from their bench boss.

"But I liked all our lines tonight," said Sutter. "I thought all our lines did a really good job."

"Obviously it was a great win. We needed a win and everyone played a good game," added Johnson. "It was a good team effort."

After being somewhat pushed around by an older 'Canes team in back-to-back-losses in Lethbridge, the Rebels pushed back in Game 3 Tuesday and then more than held their own in the physical department 24 hours later.

"For sure, we needed that from everyone," said Johnson. "It's been awesome these two games at home and we just have to carry that into Saturday."

Asked what message he'll have for his troops heading into another do-or-die contest, Sutter responded: "Just play like we can. We haven't played well in Lethbridge in this series, we know that.

"We just have to go in there . . . it's playoff hockey. The two games we played here were much better than the two games we played there. Now we carry that on, go in there and see what happens."

Notable: If the Rebels can extend the series with a win Saturday, a sixth game will be played Sunday at the Centrium (6 p.m. start). A seventh game, if necessary, will go Tuesday in Lethbridge . . . Flodell made 31 saves Wednesday . . . Selected as the first and third stars were Alexeyev, who picked up an assist to go with his insurance goal, and Olson.

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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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