The Red Deer Rebels top line was too hot to handle once again Tuesday.
Jeff de Wit had a pair of goals, Oleg Zaytsev had one and Brandon Hagel notched three assists as the Rebels came from behind at home to beat the Saskatoon Blades 5-4.
It was the fourth straight win for the Rebels and third at home.
“I felt good from puck drop, felt like my legs were there. Sure helps when (Hagel) is clicking like he is and (Zaytsev) is playing well as a 17-year-old, it’s awesome,” said de Wit, who was the first star for the second straight game.
“It’s fun playing with playing with two skilled players out there. Hags creates so much because he’s so skilled and guys have to stick to him. Gives me more space. Zayts is a heads up, smart player, so it’s been good.”
Saskatoon jumped ahead quickly in the opening 11 minutes with a pair of power-play goals set up by points leader Kirby Dach. Eric Florchuk cashed a rebound and Josh Paterson also found a loose puck for the quick 2-0 advantage.
Undeterred, the Rebels bounced back thanks to a Chris Douglas tally. The winger from Richmond, B.C. buried his first of the WHL season 41 seconds after the Blades goal to bring the Rebels within one.
“We played hard. We were very competitive. Unfortunately, we had some things go against us early that allowed them to go on the power play. Maybe that was a good thing because we responded right after,” said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter.
“I was really happy with our effort, the way we played. We moved our feet and did a really good job in certain areas that we needed to be a little bit better in.”
De Wit scored his first of the night when he tipped a Hagel point shot in on the first Rebels man-advantage of the evening.
Only 75 seconds later, Kristian Roykas Marthinsen beat Ethan Anders five-hole to regain the Blades lead.
The top line clicked again for Red Deer 83 seconds in the second to tie the game at two.
Hagel lobbed a shot on Blades’ netminder Nolan Maier and de Wit once again got a stick the shot in front. It was the Red Deer product’s fifth goal of the season and fourth in the last two games.
Captain Reese Johnson gave the Rebels their first lead of the game a minute and a half later on a three-on-one. Josh Tarzwell hit Johnson trailing the play and the Rebels veteran beat Maier low glove.
Zaytsev got in on the scoring action with five seconds left in an Aidan De La Gorgendiere tripping minor.
Hagel spun around in the slot and found a wide-open Zaytsev, who deposited the third goal of his rookie campaign. Hagel’s third assist of the night pushed him to 13 points in six games, which leads the WHL.
With just over five minutes to play, Hunter Donohoe tried to clear the puck and it landed on the stick of Riley McKay. The Blades winger walked in on Anders and went bar down to the deficit to 5-4.
From there, the Rebels were able to lock it down defensively to close out the victory.
Anders picked up the win in the Rebels net, with 29 saves on 33 shots. A number of his big saves came late in the game after the Blades climbed within a goal.
“I was just happy with the whole team. Andy had a couple unlucky goals against him. That one goal bounced on him and the second one was in front and they put it in the empty net,” Sutter said.
“He battles, he’s just a battler. He stayed with it and he was like the rest of the team, we just stay with the game. This group is coachable and that’s what you want.”
The Rebels power play scored twice in the contest and is now eight-for-26 on the season.
Three stars from the game were Jeff de Wit, Saskatoon’s Kirby Dach and Brandon Hagel.
Red Deer will host the Prince Albert Raiders on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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