The Red Deer Rebels let a two-goal lead slip away but were determined to pick up two points in Moose Jaw.
Veteran forward Reese Johnson found the shootout winner and Ethan Anders stopped Warriors forward Keenan Taphorn to close out the 4-3 victory for the Rebels.
The ugly win for the Rebels looked to be all but secured with four minutes to play in front of 3,307 WHL fans at Mosaic Place.
Things changed in a hurry for the visitors, as Warriors forward Ryan Peckford buried with 2:04 to play and Danill Stepanov tied the game at three with his third of the year just 30 seconds later.
In the shootout, Brandon Hagel and Tristin Langan missed in the first round, while Oleg Zaytsev and Peckford scored in the second round. Johnson scored in the fourth round after Alex Alexeyev missed in the third for Red Deer.
Red Deer started the night on the right foot when Jeff de Wit scored his 12th goal of the season from Hagel. It was the sixth game in a row de Wit has scored and his 12 goals are also a career high.
Peckford scored his first of the night on the power play to tie the game at one.
In the second, Chris Douglas notched the only tally of the frame on the man-advantage.
Early in the third, the forward added his fourth of the season on the power play and the Rebels looked in firm control of the contest.
Red Deer was outshot in the second and third and only registered six shots in the second.
Anders was stellar for the Rebels in the win with 38 saves, outdueling Brodan Salmond who stopped 27 shots.
The Rebels are back at it Sunday against the Swift Current Broncos.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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