Rebels 5 Broncos 4 (OT)
Rebels 2 Cougars 1
ST. ALBERT — Age is a state of mind.
Ask the Red Deer Rebels, who iced a considerably younger and more inexperienced team than the Swift Current Broncos did Monday, yet prevailed 5-4 on Marc McCoy’s third goal of the game at 4:31 of overtime.
The Rebels were 2-0 during the Edmonton Oil Kings Western Hockey League preseason tournament at Servus Credit Union Place, thanks also to a 2-1 win over the Prince George Cougars Sunday.
Monday’s victory was extra impressive, as the Rebels had four veterans in their lineup as opposed to 13 for the Broncos.
“Basically, outside of a few players, that was pretty much their (Broncos) team,” said Red Deer general manager/head coach Jesse Wallin.
“Our guys did very well, considering the amount of kids we dressed.
“The game got physical at times but our guys stood their ground. They didn’t back down at all.”
McCoy scored what appeared to be the winner at 19:13 of the third period during a Rebels power play.
But the Broncos pulled even and forced overtime when Taylor Vause connected 25 seconds later.
Trevor Cameron opened the scoring for Swift Current in the second period and McCoy’s first of the game — a power-play tally — made it 1-1 after 40 minutes.
Conner Bleackley and Brooks Maxwell gave Red Deer a 3-1 lead with back-to-back extra-man goals in the third period before Ryan Bloom scored twice for the Broncos to set up the exciting final minute and the ensuing overtime frame.
McCoy was a force throughout the contest.
“He got rewarded for a very good effort. He played a detailed game each shift he was on the ice,” said Wallin.
The Rebels bench boss also liked fellow rookies Maxwell, defenceman Stephen Hak, who contributed two assists, and goaltender Patrik Bartosak.
“Hak was very good on our back end.
“He was very solid in our zone,” said Wallin.
Bartosak made 30 saves as the Rebels were outshot 34-24.
“Patrik looked very comfortable and he played well,” said Wallin. “He made some big saves through traffic and against the rush.
“The first goal he allowed was a little soft, but he had no chance on the other three. Two were off of backdoor plays and the other was a tip from the high circle. He was square to the puck today and tracked it very well.”
As good as Bartosak was Monday, 15-year-old Grant Naherniak was very bit of impressive while guarding the Rebels net for 40 minutes Sunday.
Naherniak stopped all 22 shots he faced, with Bolton Pouliot then blocking seven of eights shots in the final frame while giving up a power-play goal to Alex Forsberg.
“He (Naherniak) is a very athletic kid,” said Wallin. “He was given an opportunity and he took advantage of it.”
Mason Burr notched both Red Deer goals during first- and second-period power plays. Cougars netminders Brett Zaroway, Tyler Santos and Devon Fordyce combined to make 24 saves.
• Naherniak and defenceman Haydn Fleury, 15, returned to their homes in Saskatchewan Monday while 15-year-old forwards Bleackley and Earl Webb returned home to Calgary. Bleackley, who will suit up with the midget AAA UFA Bisons and Webb, ticketed for the minor midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes, may be summoned by the Rebels for one or two more preseason games.
The deletions reduced the Red Deer roster to 31 players and with six skaters slated to leave for NHL camps this week, the Rebels will have 25 players available for Friday and Saturday exhibition contests versus the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Calgary Hitmen at Innisfail and Calgary.
• Wallin missed Sunday’s game while attending the funeral of boyhood friend and former NHL player Wade Belak in Nashville. Belak took his own life last week.
gmeachem@www.reddeeradvocate.com