MOOSE JAW- It was bound to happen sooner or later, but the Red Deer Rebels went three games into the WHL season before their first loss.
In their second game in as many nights, the Rebels dropped a 4-2 contest to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday night.
Red Deer fell behind 2-0 in the first 15 minutes of the game with goals by Brayden Burke and Justin Almeida of the Warriors.
From there, the Rebels battled back as captain Grayson Pawlenchuk scored his fourth goal of the season late in the opening frame.
Moose Jaw restored the two goal lead when Tristin Langan scored his first of the year in the second, but shortly after Mason McCarty notched a power play goal to cut the deficit. McCarty now has nine points in four games this year.
The Warriors added an empty-net goal with five seconds left in the game.
In his first WHL start, Rebels goalie Ethan Anders stopped 31 of 34 shots in the loss.
Warriors forward was first star with two assists.
Defenceman Alex Alexeyev missed the game due to an injury suffered on Friday night. He’s listed as day-to-day.
Red Deer will finish their three-game road swing Sunday, when they take on the Pats in Regina with puck drop set for 4 p.m.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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