WHL Red Deer Rebels

Rebels Slip Past Ice in Another Nail-Biter

Published on February 1, 2020 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


Two games, two barn-burners.

Coming off an end-to-end 5-4 win over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings two nights previous, the Red Deer Rebels - decked out in baby blue uniforms in support of organ donation - outlasted the Winnipeg Ice 6-5 Friday at the Centrium in yet another track meet.

"Do you have a voice Mooner?" Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter jokingly asked play-by-play man Cam Moon, who admitted he was exhausted.

"The game certainly had a little bit of everything," Sutter continued. "One team would have momentum, then the other team. It was back and forth all night."

The dying moments were intense as the Rebels attempted to protect a 6-4 lead. Former Red Deer captain Dawson Barteaux cut the cushion to one at 17:36 with Ice netminder Liam Hughes on the bench.

Barteaux pulled off a toe drag, then went bar down on goalie Byron Fancy from the right circle. The visitors continued to go forward with the extra attacker from that point on and struck a post with five seconds left, but couldn't notch the equalizer.

"Like I told the kids, we were resilient, we stayed with it. We kept pushing," said Sutter of his club's ability to wipe out a 4-3 deficit with three consecutive third-period goals.

"They're a good team obviously, they're a very good team. They can be offensively explosive. But we found a way to score goals. You score six goals you hope you're going to win the game.

"But it's a great win. We're finding ways to be resilient although we make the last minute and a half to two and half minutes interesting. Everyone's on the edge of their seats. The kids seem to handle it well so that's good too."

Winnipeg grabbed an early lead when Michal Teply buried a corner pass from Peyton Krebs 3:51 into the contest. From there, Rebels rookie Jace Isley scored his first of two goals on the night 11 minutes later, working out of the corner, putting the puck on net and then cashing his own rebound, and the clubs were tied 1-1 at the intermission.

The Ice regained the lead, on the power play, a mere 17 seconds into the middle frame as Isaac Johnson, from the high slot, converted a drop pass from Krebs. Again, it was Isley who responded, beating Hughes on a wrap-around just under two minutes later with the puck deflecting off a defenders' skate.

"It was a good game, lots of up and downs," said Isley. "But when we got down we got back up and just kept battling."

The Rebels took their first lead of the evening at 4:11 when a rink-wide pass from Arshdeep Bains glanced off Ben King's skate and past Hughes.

The lead help up until the visitors struck for two goals 92 seconds apart early in the third period.

Owen Pederson broke to the net and converted a great pass from Krebs and Jackson Leppard worked into the low slot and potted his 16th of the season.

The Rebels, however, battled back with three of their own. Keaton Sorensen kicked off the outburst when he took a nifty feed from Jaxsen Wiebe and beat Hughes to the far side from the right circle at 5:27.

Josh Tarzwell made it a 5-4 game when Isley was able to feed him in front on a hard-working play, and Ethan Sakowich cashed in on a Red Deer power play at 12:31, moving in from the point and blasting a one-timer following a cross-ice pass from Bains.

"I was happy for the guy, it was good to get that one and go up two," said Isley. "It was a game turner."

Isley's goals were his third and fourth of the season and earned him first star status.

"I thought it was just luck at the start, a couple of good bounces went my way. But I'm happy," said the 17-year-old winger.

With Zak Smith serving a one-game suspension after being assessed a major and game misconduct Wednesday, Isley played mostly with Tarzwell and Chris Douglas.

"It was good playing with Tarz and Dougie," said the Grande Prairie product. "They're good hockey players. I had to step up my game a bit but it was good."

Sutter was happy for the young winger, whose game has gradually progressed since the start of the season.

"That was awesome. He's worked hard," said the Rebels boss. "He's like all the younger players, they've grown through the year and gotten better and better.

"They're learning how to play in the league, the importance of preparation and focus, and Iser's been no different from the rest of them. He's continued to improve. Eventually the hockey gods will take care of you and look after you for your effort and commitment and he got rewarded tonight."

Notable: Fancy made 27 saves while recording his ninth win of the season. Hughes finished with 23 saves and also had the aid of his goal posts as Christoffer Sedoff struck iron twice and Cam Hausinger once . . . Isley, with two markers and an assist already to his credit, nearly recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick when he attempted to square off his Carson Lambos late in the contest, but the linesmen intervened as soon as the gloves were dropped . . . Selected as the second and third stars were Krebs, who had four assists, and Sorensen, who recorded a single helper to go with his goal . . . Attendance was 4,557 . . . The Rebels are in Calgary Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. meeting with the Hitmen that will be televised by Sportsnet West.

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