It is really too bad that the teams from the US Division only visit the Central Division every other season. The games between these clubs are usually quite thrilling and we get to see more of the stars of the WHL. The Tri-City Americans were welcomed to Red Deer to face off with the Rebels. Before the game would begin the fans in the seats got to help sing the American national anthem when the microphone would not work.
Early on it was all Americans, Red Deer couldn’t muster any chances to get the puck into the Americans end of the ice.
The Americans would open the scoring just 4:12 into it. A pass from behind the net winds up on the stick of Geekie and a puck is fluttered past the outstretched glove of Rebels starting netminder Ethan Anders. Rasmussen and Krebs picked up the assists. Red Deer hasn’t had a shot on net yet. Rasmussen and Geekie extend their point streaks to six games.
The first shot on goal for the Rebels comes at 10:30 of the first period. It is also a waved off goal as it was hit with a high stick in front of the net. So back to the drawing board for Red Deer as they haven’t able to generate anything aside from one shift of pressure led by Reese Johnson.
A power play marker for the Americans with 7:15 to go in the first puts them up 2-0. Isaac Johnson would get his sixth goal of the season on a pass from Maxwell James. Kyle Olson would also receive an assist.
With 5:49 to go in the first period, Reese Johnson scores a breakaway goal on a chop pass from Austin Pratt. The Rebels first real shot counts as a goal and the Rebels make it 2-1. Arshdeep Bains recorded his first WHL point on the goal.
Fisticuffs ensue just moments later as Brandon Cutler and Nolan Yaremko go toe-to-toe. Cutler didn’t agree with a hit from Yaremko but they agreed to drop the mitts. Yaremko has no problem taking down Cutler in the fight.
With just five seconds left in the period and on their fourth shot the Rebels tie the game when a streaking to the net Mason McCarty slams home a Grayson Pawlenchuk pass who got a pass in tight from Lukus MacKenzie.
The first period would end with the teams tied at two, the Americans outshot the Rebels 11-4.
Carson Focht retakes the lead for the Americans when he took a shot on a screened Anders from just inside the faceoff circle to his left. Isaac Johnson got his second point of the night.
Four minutes later a deflection in front of Anders sneaks over his left shoulder to restore the Americans two goal lead. Dylan Coughlan is credited with the goal that would put his team up two. It would be his tenth of the season. Morgan Geekie and Jordan Topping pick up the assists.
With 1:16 to go in the second period Mason McCarty brings the Rebels back to within a goal. A pass through traffic finds his stick and he puts it over Will Warm. Lukus MacKenzie picks up his second assist on the night.
When asked about the game last night, Mason McCarty had this to add “You know Tri-City is a big team, they are a tough team, they play big, they try to bully guys out of the rink, I think we responded well, think we played hard, a slow start but we stuck with it for 60 minutes”
The second period would end with Tri-City on top 4-3 and now out shooting the Rebels 20-14.
Aside from a few opportunities on the power play, the Rebels just couldn’t find a way to get the puck past Will Warm.
Ethan Anders made his fair share of saves to keep it a one goal game including a goal line save on the penalty kill with 11:06 to go in the game.
Just when you thought the game was done an unbelievable goal was scored with 1.5 seconds on the clock to tie the game up for the Rebels. Captain Grayson Pawlenchuk cleans up a rebound to squeek the puck past Will Warm and send the game to overtime.
Overtime would solve nothing despite the Rebels being given a power play opportunity following an early rush to the Americans net. The teams would go to a shoot out.
Here are the results of the shootout:
Geekie – Goal
McCarty – Save
Topping – Save
Schellenberg – Save
Olson – Goal
The Americans would go on to take this one in a shootout, final score 5-4. The shots would end up 31-29 in the Americans favour.
After the game coach Brent Sutter had this to day about his team’s play of late, “The last four games has probably been the best hockey we’ve played all year… we’re taking strides now and that’s what you want to see an you want to see players progressing and we are starting to see some of that.”
Rebel Yell… This is it for the Rebels as they are now on holiday break until December 27th when the Rebels host the Edmonton Oil Kings. Tonight’s 3 stars were 1) Mason McCarty 2) Isaac Johnson 3) Grayson Pawlenchuk. Mason McCarty led all shooters with 7 shots on net while Michael Rasumussen had 5 for the Americans. Morgan Geekie was 10-of-18 in the faceoff dot, Reese Johnson was 12-of-21. Red Deer was 0-for-5 on the power play and Tri-City was 2-for-4.
