17th overtime game for Red Deer results in a rare win

For the second time in less than a month, the Red Deer Rebels headed to the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to take on the Raiders. For Prince Albert (20-20-7-2), the team was looking for at least a point in their sixth straight game. They would succeed although it was not the two points they had hoped to gain on the idle Saskatoon Blades.

For Red Deer (12-25-9-3), it was a chance to avenge the overtime loss the Rebels sustained on January 6th in the same rink.

The goal at 2:37 of the extra frame would come off the stick of Kristian Reichel. He snapped a shot past starting netminder Ian Scott and started the Rebels four game East Division road trip off just right. It would be Reichel’s 19th goal of the season and second game-winning goal. Brandon Hagel and Dawson Barteaux would get the assists. The last trip to Prince Albert would be avenged.

This game had a few different flows to it.

The first period would see the Rebels get out shot 11-5 but Riley Lamb was up to the task in this game. He stopped all 11 shots. On the other side, Scott stopped all five shots. Pretty quiet in terms of action.

It was the second period that would see the teams exchange goals in succession. A totally different “flow” so to speak.

The Raiders would not trail in this game, scoring first, then allowing a Rebels goal shortly after.

Justin Nachbaur started things off unassisted. He stole the puck from a Rebel in the slot and just riffled a shot past Lamb. His sixth goal of the season would put his team up 1-0 for all of 55 seconds. It would be the Rebels leading scorer Mason McCarty tying things up at one with a quick wrist shot from the slot. Kristian Reichel got a weak pass over to McCarty for his 26th goal of the year.

One minute and four seconds later Curtis Miske would re-take the lead for the Raiders when he corralled a rebound in front. Defenseman Vojtech Budik would collect his sixth point against the Rebels this season on the goal.

It would be the Saskatoon kid scoring his second goal of the year just two minutes and 11 seconds later. Both of Alex Morozoff’s goals this season would come within his home province of Saskatachewan and this one would tie the game at two. Hagel’s pass in the neutral zone found his stick and he had to only beat Scott.

Red Deer would score again before the period was over but this time it would be waved off. McCarty made contact with Scott before the puck was deposited into a yawning cage.

Four goals in 4:10 and that would be it for the second period. Red Deer would out shoot Prince Albert by an 8-7 count in the second period.

Rookie Eric Pearce would take the lead for the Raiders yet again. His fourth goal of the year came just 2:27 into the third period. Spencer Moe created a turnover just outside the Rebels blue line. His work led to Leason picking up the puck and a two-on-one headed down the ice towards Lamb. Pearce would get the pass in time to snap a clear shot past Lamb.

The resilient Rebels were at it again though as Kristian Reichel would score his 18th goal of the year to tie the game at three. Reichel sped down the ice on a dump in that went right to Scott. Scott’s pass to his defenseman wasn’t nearly hard enough and Reichel intercepted and just fired the puck into the net. The goal came unassisted.

Neither team would score on the power play in this game. Red Deer had just one opportunity while Prince Albert had three man advantages.

Rebel Yell… The three stars were 1) Brett Leason with an assist 2) Kristian Reichel 2 goals and 1 assist 3) Vojtech Budik who also had an assist. Mason McCarty had 5 shots for Red Deer, four players had 3 shots each for Prince Albert. Rookie Morozoff was 4-for-5 in the faceoff circle while Kody McDonald was the best Raider at 10-for-20. Red Deer heads south to Saskatoon for a tilt with the Blades while Prince Albert waits to take on those same Blades on Friday at home.