Red Deer needed to get their offense going as they had only scored once against the Prince Albert Raiders and Ian Scott over their last 125 minutes of hockey.
The start they had was not what they had hoped for.
A couple of early goals by the imports for Prince Albert set the tone.
With Brett Leason down on the puck, Dante Hannoun was able to slide the puck away from his downed teammate. He made his way to the front of the net and slipped a back pass to Aliaksei Protas. The long wrist shot fooled Ethan Anders and the hosts were out front just 6:08 into the game.
Less than two minutes later, the Rebels found themselves in penalty trouble.
After the highly dangerous Raider power play went 0-for-2 in Game 1, the Rebels had to know they were playing with fire.
It didn’t take long for the other import for the team, Sergei Sapego, wired a shot from the slot after the Raiders worked the puck around the Rebels end of the ice.
Before the period was half over, the hosts had a two goal lead.
Finally the Rebels were able to generate some offense on the power play, having gone 14:55 without a shot to start the game. For them it was a breakthrough, as Chris Douglas went to the net and redirected a shot from the point by Ethan Sakowich. Raiders goaltender Scott left just enough room for the puck to squeeze through.
Then the bad luck that seemed to plague the Red Deer Rebels through the second half of the season reared it’s ugly head.
A cross ice pass intended for Hannoun hit Carson Sass, who was sliding down the ice to block the attempt. Instead Sapego’s second goal of the night bounced off Sass’ leg and barely floated by Anders after hitting the post. The Raiders lead was back to two goals.
The Rebels placed pressure on the Raiders in the final moments of the period but Scott was tall to the task and kept the puck out from behind him, the period ended with the Raiders up 3-1.
Early in the second period Brett Leason was sent off for the night following a hit from behind on Cameron Hausinger. Hausinger laid on the ice for a moment before getting assistance form the Rebels athletic therapist Terrance Robertson.
Red Deer was able to have an extended period of pressure in the offensive zone because of the five minute major assessed to Leason. The Raiders though were equal to the task for the first four minutes by blocking a lot of shots and keeping the Rebels to the perimeter.
At exactly the eight minute mark Brandon Hagel worked the puck off the sidewall and made a slick move around one defender, then followed that up with a toe drag around another defender. Hagel found himself in front of the net and roofed the puck over Scott to cut the lead to a single goal.
It was the Rebels turn to have a little luck go their way as a Jacob Herauf shot that fluttered toward the net hit Hagel, changed directions and flopped past Scott for the tying goal. The major to Leason had just expired.
Just a little over two minutes later the Raiders retook the lead and didn’t look back.
After some work in the corner next to Anders, the puck found itself on the stick of Brayden Pachal. His point shot hit something in front and made it past Anders. 4-3 Raiders.
With 5:33 to go in the period Jeremey Marsella left the penalty box and he was in on a breakaway. He was hauled down on his way to the net and the Raiders defenseman was awarded a penalty shot. An anti-climactic attempt was made and the shot was stopped by Anders on the blocker side.
The Raiders took their single goal lead into the dressing room after 40 minutes. They had to be happy to have the lead after not playing at their best for 20 minutes.
The Raiders showed their depth in the third period as they began to pull away from the Rebels for the second time in the game.
The speedy Protas went to the front of the net two minutes and eight seconds into the third period, and all he had to do was redirect a pass from Noah Gregor to hit pay dirt. His second of the night brought the Raider lead to two goals.
There would be more from the potent offense.
With 12:13 to play, the Raiders scored themselves their sixth goal and it gave them a three goal lead.
The Raiders moved the puck around the Rebels end and the puck wound up on Ozzy Wiesblatt‘s stick and he beat Anders. The excellent Raiders forecheckers Spencer Moe and Max Martin picked up assists on Wiesblatt’s second goal of the playoffs.
Red Deer attempted to mount a comeback, thought it proved to be too little too late.
On a power play around the midway point of the period Hagel scored his third of the night. The entire power play was spent in the Raiders end and the regular season’s top ranked penalty killers could not contain Hagel. Dawson Barteaux and Cameron Hausinger were credited with the assists after the puck was passed around the Raider end.
Unfortunately for the visitors, that was all the comeback they could muster, and the Prince Albert Raiders had taken both of their home games to lead the opening round playoff series 2-0.
Rebel Yell… The three stars went to Aliaksei Protas, Sergei Sapego and Brandon Hagel. Hagel led all players in shots on goal with six while Noah Gregor led the Raiders with four. Dante Hannoun was the best faceoff man for the Raiders going 9-for-18. Reese Johnson led the Rebels going 15-for-25. Both power plays showed some life after being held off the score sheet in Game 1, Red Deer was 3-for-5 while Prince Albert was 1-for-5.
The series now shifts to the Westerner Park Centrium for Game 3 and 4. Puck drop is at 7PM local time.
