Lethbridge Hurricanes

Despite 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes, Rebels playoff bound with help from Regina Pats

The Red Deer Rebels and Lethbridge Hurricanes met for the sixth and final time this season at the Centrium in Red Deer. It was an action packed game with chances at both ends, a couple of hat tricks and a fight.

Red Deer hoped to punch their playoff ticket with at least a single point coming from a win or extra time loss. It wasn’t meant to be but the team found out after the game that they would be heading to the post season. The Regina Pats helped them out by defeating the Brandon Wheat Kings in regulation.

“We played well,” head coach and GM Brent Sutter said after the game. “I thought we had lots of chances especially in the second period. But it’s tough, we loose a game. Gotta play to score, can’t put pucks in shin pads and give up odd man rushes like that, tough way to lose.”

“I thought both teams top lines were good tonight, they put Bellerive up with Henry and Leschyshyn, that certainly gave them more strength in their first line and they went head-to-head all night. Both top lines were good tonight.”

The game certainly did not get off to a good start for Red Deer as they gave up two goals early and found themselves behind the eight ball.

Jake Leschyshyn (photo-Paul Figler)

Just over six minutes into the opening frame Dylan Cozens sniped a shot past Ethan Anders for his 34th goal of the season. Calen Addison burst into the Rebels’ zone and dropped a pass to Cozens. His shot went off the far post an in.

It was exactly 30 seconds later that the Rebels found themselves in a two goal deficit. Jake Leschyshyn scored his first of three goals on the night. His goal came on a power play. Jordy Bellerive‘s shot from in the slot bounced of Anders’ pad right to Leschyshyn who had a wide open cage to bury the puck in. He made no mistake.

“You better battle back,” said Sutter about being behind early. “What else do you say its game 67 of the season you’re at home, you look at how we drew the penalty off the faceoff at centre ice, stuff like that just shouldn’t happen but it did but we responded the right way, we got back and we’re even up going to the third you gotta find a way to win the game not the way to lose it tonight again a mistake cost us the game.”

It looked like it might be a run away victory for the Hurricanes who came into the game with a six game win streak.

Rebels captain Reese Johnson had other ideas. Three minutes later he scored his first of three goals on the night, his 25th of the year came unassisted. He stole a lead feed from one of the Hurricanes defenders, broke into the offensive zone and split the defensemen. His wrist shot blew by Carl Tetachuk.

Reese Johnson (Andy Devlin)

The first period ended with the Hurricanes leading on the scoreboard and the shot clock, 2-1 and 15-8 respectively.

It was Red Deer that came out all guns blazing in the second period.

On a power play of their own, the Rebels worked the puck around the Hurricanes end of the ice. Again it was Johnson with a tally, his 26th of the campaign when the puck was shoveled to him on a broken play in the Hurricanes end. Several Rebels had an opportunity, it began with a two-on-one, and finally the puck hit Johnson’s stick then the back of the net.

“My linemates, I credit them a lot too, they played well they are fun to play with.” said Johnson about his hat trick after the night’s game.

Nearly eight minutes later, Leschyshyn took his next turn scoring a goal. His 39th goal gave the Hurricanes the lead back.

Taylor Ross’ shot rebounded off of Anders to the opposite side of the net and Leschyshyn was there to power a shot behind Anders.

Less than a minute later, the tug-of-war match continued. The hats flew onto the ice as Saskatoon, SK native Johnson completed his hat trick. It was his third hat trick of the season and 27th goal of the season. Another play where Johnson was ‘Johnny on the spot’, when the puck bounced around in front of Tetachuk and found Johnson’s stick. He directed the puck in the short side to tie it up again.

That is how the period ended, the Hurricanes held a single shot advantage over the Rebels and the scoreboard said each team had three goals.

Unfortunately for the 4927 fans in attendance on this night, the Hurricanes found the winning combination.

Again Leschyshyn hit the score sheet, his 40th goal of the season, and the Hurricanes had the lead with 15 minutes and 45 seconds to play. Bellerive’s shot created a rebound and Leschyshyn was able to get be hind the Rebel defense to deposit the puck beyond Anders.

Despite a valiant effort by the Rebels forwards, a tying goal was not meant to be. Johnson hit a post for the second home game in a row while looking for the goal to send it to extra time.

“I thought the boys played well for the most part, I think we worked hard. We had a couple of plays that can’t be made at this time of year. Too many odd man rushes.” added Johnson on the play of his teammates in this important game.

Following the game Sutter added about the Pats win over the Wheat Kings “You get help, I wish we could have helped ourselves, we’ll take it, you don’t like having to go in back door.”

Rebel Yell…The three stars were Reese Johnson, Jake Leschyshyn and Calen Addison.  Reese Johnson was 21-of-29 in the faceoff circle. Three players had 5 shots each, Jake Elmer and Dylan Cozens for the ‘Canes and Dawson Barteaux for the Rebels.

Playoff picture… With the Wheat Kings loss in Regina the Rebels clinched a playoff spot. Medicine Hat also won their game so the Rebels are the second wild card holders meaning they will face the Prince Albert Raiders in the first round. That playoff series begins in Prince Albert on March 22nd.

Awards night… The Rebels handed out their annual awards, the winners were as follows:

Underrated Player – Zak Smith

Defenseman of the Year – Alexander Alexeyev

Humanitarian of the Year – Reese Johnson

Leading Scorer – Brandon Hagel

Players Choice – Reese Johnson

Three Stars – Brandon Hagel

Rookie of the Year – Oleg Zaytsev

MVP – Brandon Hagel