It was a balmy 30 degrees Celsius at game time, which is an excellent day for hockey in Florida. Tonight’s Black & White game was played at the Enmax Centrium in Red Deer though, some 4,500 kilometres away from the tropics of Florida.
Before the game it was revealed that Ethan Rowland (2002-born) was slated to play in the Black & White game but was sidelined with an injury in a prior scrimmage and would not be able to be on skates for about two weeks. This was an unfortuante set back for him as he is a highly touted first-round Bantam Draft pick from this past May.
As expected, the teams took a few minutes to feel each other out and Byron Fancy of Team Black showed quickly he was up for the game with a stop on import pick Kristian Reichel.
With 8:03 gone in the opening frame the floodgates opened as Jacob Herauf (2000) went short side over the shoulder of Team White starting netminder Ethan Anders, with the assist to Mason McCarty (1997) to make it 1-0. Just two minutes and 35 seconds later, Blake Sydlowski (2001) on assists from River Fahey (2001) and Reilly Funk (2000) of Team White went blocker high on Fancy to tie the game up. Once the puck was dropped following that goal, Team Black stormed down the ice and scored to take back the lead. This time it was third-year WHLer, Brandon Schuldhaus scoring the goal with the assist going to 20-year-old Grayson Pawlenchuck at 10:59. Team White then rallied back with a goal of their own to knot the game at two, this time at 11:37. Ethan Sakowich (1999) scored the marker on a point shot with little traffic in front of the net. Assists went to Hunter Donohue (2000) and Jayden McCarthy (2001).
The see-saw affair continued at 12:48 when Jordan Borysiuk (2002) of Team Back scored on a tip from Austin Schellenberg’s shot. This made it 3-2 Team Black. Into the final minute, the teams each added another tally. Team Black took a two-goal lead with a goal from Akash Bains (2000) with assists to Reese Johnson (1998) and Chase Lowry (2000). With just 31.6 seconds to go, Team White would close the gap to 4-3 on a tipped shot, Brandon Cutler was given credit for the goal, with assists to Jared Freadrich (1998) and Chris Douglas (2000).
A seven-goal first period was in the books. The few hundred fans in attendance were throughly impressed with the offensive flurry. The refs were a non-factor as they did not need to call a single penalty through 20 minutes.
Again, it took the teams a little bit of time to get rolling when they switched sides for period two. Seven minutes into the period, Reilly Funk knotted the game at four. The 2017 fifth-round draft pick Jace Isley picked up an assist on the goal after his point shot was tipped past Fancy.
Just after the midway point of the period, last season’s goalie duo of Lasse Petersen (1997) and Riley Lamb (1998) made their way onto the ice. Petersen entered for Team Black and Lamb took the net for Team White. Within the first few moments of being put in the net, Lamb stopped a scrum in front of the net to preserve the tie. Both goalies looked game ready from the outset.
In our first bit of rough play, Carson Sass was given a minor penalty for a slash to Reese Johnson that nearly resulted in fisticuffs. The players could be seen jawing with one another before and after the refs blew the whistle and hauled Sass away.
In the final minute of the period, Kyler Kovich (2002) of Team Black missed a glorious opportunity in front of the net when his stick broke while attempting to deflect a through the crease pass.
That would do it for 40 minutes and the teams would go to the locker room tied up at four.
The tempo would pick up as the third period got underway. Players on both sides were finishing their checks and making the extra effort to impress the Rebels brass who were seated amongst the fans in the centre ice area on the south side of the Enmax Centrium.
In the third period, Brandon Hagel and Brandon Schuldhaus got tangled up in what looked to be a knee-on-knee 
situation. Hagel was worse for wear after the hit, leaving the ice while limping.
This knee-on-knee contact, while incidental, did result in a penalty to Schuldhaus. Team White was able to capitalize with a screened shot by Jared Friedrich that made it through Lasse Petersen. The assist on the goal went to Reilly Funk. Then with just 1:53 to go in regulation, Austin Pratt tucked in a missed shot by Mason McCarty sending the game to overtime. The secondary assist went to Akash Bains.
In the three-on-three overtime, the action was packed with quick rushes up and down the ice. Team Black nearly ended it 29 seconds in but Kristian Reichel valiantly blocked a shot from Austin Pratt after Grayson Pawlenchuk’s original shot took Lamb out of the play. Mason McCarty then scored low stick side on Lamb with 3:32 to go in the extra period.
McCarty’s heroics meant that Team Black recorded the 6-5 overtime win.
The team participated in a five shooter shootout afterwards. The lone scorers were Austin Schellenberg for Team Black and Brandon Cutler for Team White.
Post-game the Rebels reassigned Jordan Borysiuk (2002), Reilly Funk (2000), Kyler Kovich (2002), Jayden McCarthy (2001), Alex Morozoff (2001) and Jace Isley (2002). This brings the roster to just 35 players in time for the pre-season.
The Rebels host a mini tournament this weekend. The first game at the Enmax Centrium goes Friday Septemeber 1 at 3 p.m. as the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Prince George Cougars clash. Red Deer will then host the Calgary Hitmen at 7 p.m.
