It wasn’t pretty but an excellent third period by the Red Deer Rebels secured a 5-2 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors.
The teams combined for 11 penalties, but there was just one special team’s goal in this contest which became the eventual game-winning goal. Dawson Barteaux‘s shot pinballed around the front of the net before winding up behind Adam Evanoff. The last player to touch it was Arshdeep Bains. The Rebels power play was 1-for-4 on the night, the Warriors were 0-for-5.
Before the game, Bains was named the Rebels player of the month for November.
The 3168 fans in attendance were not even in their seats before Chris Douglas got the team started off on the right foot. For just the ninth time this season, Red Deer was the first team on the board. 58 seconds is all it took for Douglas to receive Ben King‘s pass and wire a shot past Evanoff.
Moose Jaw kept pressing throughout the first period, firing 14 shots at Byron Fancy. The 14th shot beat him, it came from behind the net and banked off something or someone and trickled between the legs of Fancy. Owen Hardy was given credit for the goal.
The middle frame was all Red Deer as the team scored twice to stake themselves to a 3-1 lead.
“I thought the last two periods, we had our feet moving and got going. We had a lot of turnovers in the first period,” Rebels general manager and head coach Brent Sutter said.
First was Ethan Sakowich‘s seventh goal of the season. On a two-on-one with Josh Tarzwell, Sakowich looked like he might make a pass but instead wired a shot under Evanoff’s glove. The shot was perfectly placed enough to fool Evanoff and give the Rebels a one-goal lead.
“I gotta keep my eyes closed because I haven’t really been looking at the net much,” quipped Sakowich.
It was the 14th goal of his WHL career, half coming this season.
“I haven’t been thinking about it too much, they’ve just been going in for me. Just gotta hope that luck stays with me.”
Then three and a half minutes later on the power play came Bains’ sixth goal of the season.
From that point on, the Rebels contained the Warriors offense. The team did everything they could to keep the shots to the perimeter and limit chances. In the past playing not to lose cost the Rebels but on this night the offense didn’t hold back.
“We settled down and got playing in the second and I thought the third period could have been our best third period all year. Byron was really good, he played well for us,” said Sutter
Through two periods the Warriors outshot the Rebels 24-16.
With time winding down in the third period, the Rebels added to their lead. In what might have been the nicest goal scored by a Rebels this season, Brett Davis won an offensive zone faceoff. He took the puck himself, barreled his way past several Warriors to behind the net. He then wrapped the puck around the net and behind Evanoff for the Rebels’ fourth goal of the night.
? WHL Highlight of the Night ?
December 4, 2019 @brett_davis4 of @Rebelshockey#WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/cj1hgFOVwL— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 5, 2019
The Warriors weren’t going to roll over though. 47 seconds after the Rebels goal Hardy scored his 12th of the season and second of the night. Brayden Tracey took care of the tough part, circling the net and bringing Fancy to his side on the post. A quick pass across the crease went right to Hardy who one-timed the pass into the yawning cage.
For the Warriors that was as close as they would come. Red Deer scored on a late chance into an empty net when a Rebels clearing attempt hit a stick and went straight to a streaking Josh Tarzwell. His team-leading 10th goal sealed the 5-2 win for the Rebels.
“I know he was struggling a little bit but, it’s good for us and it’s good for his confidence because we really need him,” said Sakowich of Fancy following the game.
Rebel Yell… The three stars in the building were 1) Ethan Sakowich 2) Byron Fancy 3) Chris Douglas. Fancy made 30 saves in the win, he now has a .875 save percentage, 3.81 goals-against average, and a 4-5-0-1 record. Evanoff had 28 saves in the loss. Libor Zabransky was named to the Czech IIHF World U20 Championship team on Thursday morning, he led the Warriors with 6 shots, Ben King had 5 for the Rebels. Jayden Grubbe was 5-for-8 in the faceoff circle, Kobe Mohr was 3-for-3. These two teams meet again Friday but the scene shifts to Moose Jaw.
