Raiders 2 Rebels 1
One bad bounce was all it took to sink the Red Deer Rebels in Prince Albert.
The Rebels (5-3-1-0) went stride for stride with one of the hottest teams in the WHL but ended up on the wrong side of a 2-1 loss Saturday night at a packed Ar Hauser Centre.
Red Deer is the only team to beat the Raiders through 10 games this season.
“We played hard. We were very competitive. We competed and I thought we had a really good game,” said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter.
“We did a lot of good things. It’s a tough building to play in and we were really good with our compete level and our courage. I was really happy with that tonight.”
When you're as hot as Brett Leason, you can pass it to yourself and score. That's his 7th goal and 19th point in his 10-game scoring streak to start the year. 2-1 Raiders in the third pic.twitter.com/EfwGYPWYDA
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 14, 2018
With the game tied at one early in the third period, Brett Leason dumped the puck into the Rebels end and beat both Ethan Sakowich and Dawson Barteaux to the loose puck. He deposited a shot past Rebels netminder Ethan Anders and that was the difference.
“Their second goal was not a good goal. Just a bad play by our defenceman by letting the guy get the bounce off the backboards,” Sutter said.
“Other than that, I’ve been really happy with our team so far. The whole year has been this way.”
After the Leason goal five minutes into the final frame, the Rebels threw everything they could at Raiders netminder Ian Scott. They finished the period with 12 shots, but Scott was equal to the task at every turn.
“We just couldn’t get it. Their goalie played well. So did Andy. Both goalies were good,” Sutter said.
“Overall, I was happy with our game. Even (Friday), we should have won. You give up a goal in the last few seconds and we had our opportunities to win it.”
Reese Johnson tied the game at one for the Rebels in the first period after Sean Montgomery scored 68 seconds into the game.
Leason, Scott and Anders were the three stars on the night.
It was the second straight defeat for the Rebels on their Saskatchewan trip and in both games, the Rebels gave up a third-period goal.
The first loss of the trip, a 3-2 overtime game against the Saskatoon Blades combined with the loss Saturday still held plenty of positives for Sutter. Combined the Blades and Raiders are 16-3 this season.
“They’re strong clubs and we went toe-to-toe with both of them,” he said.
“Just keep playing like we’re playing. We can still improve and get better, but just make sure our compete level is there all the time.”
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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