Chiefs 4 Rebels 3
The Red Deer Rebels managed to push another game to overtime, only to fall just short again.
Spokane Chiefs defenceman Ty Smith scored 30 seconds into the extra frame, on a 4-on-3 power play as they handed the Rebels their sixth straight loss.
“We played really well, we were good in a lot of areas. Just a bad penalty in the last 12 seconds of the game not paying attention and not watching the guy your taking,” Rebels GM/head coach Sutter said.
In the first of five-game swing through the U.S. Division with the game tied at three, Red Deer was whistled for too many men on the ice with 12 seconds left in regulation. Arshdeep Bains jumped onto the ice early to replace Brandon Hagel, but Hagel stayed out to make a play.
“He got a home run pass from Alex (Alexeyev) and Bains wasn’t watching Hags, he was just watching Alex down behind the net and he jumped. I have never seen that happen in the last minute of the game. Just not being alert on the bench,” Sutter said.
“Awful way to lose a game. A real kick in the gut.”
It took only 30 seconds for the top-ranked power play in the WHL to whistle a shot past Ethan Anders and secure the 4-3 overtime win.
Just under two minutes into the contest, Bains opened the scoring for the Rebels. It was the sixth goal of the year and first in seven games for the Surrey, B.C. native.
Jaret Anderson-Dolan tied the game at 6:10 of the first, one second after a Red Deer penalty expired. The Rebels missed on all three power play opportunities in the frame.
Red Deer took another lead just before the midway point of the second. Dawson Barteaux let a shot go from the point and Brandon Hagel redirected it off a Chiefs’ player and in. It was Hagel’s 31st goal of the season and 93rd of his career. The tally has the Morinville, Alta. product one goal shy of Greg Schmidt for fourth on the Rebels all-time goals list.
Only 92 seconds after Hagel scored, Smith, who leads all WHL defenceman in assists, tied the game for the Chiefs.
Late in the second period, Alex Alexeyev set up Bains for a great chance at the Chiefs end but they couldn’t convert. When platy went the other way, Adam Beckman squeezed a shot five hole on Anders to give Spokane its first lead of the game.
The Rebels needing a quick response in the third got it from Oleg Zaytsev. Just over two minutes into the frame, the first round CHL Import pick from 2018 found a rebound in the high slot and buried his 10th of the year past Bailey Brkin.
“Bains, (Chris) Douglas and Zaytsev were maybe our best line,” Sutter added.
Red Deer outshot the Chiefs 11-6 in the third.
Anders finished the night with 26 saves, while Brkin stopped 29.
Wednesday, the Rebels take on the Everett Silvertips with puck drop at 8:05 p.m. Usually, the trip takes close to five hours but with snowstorms in much of the West Coast and many highway closures, it will take the Rebels an extra five hours.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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