Broncos 4 Rebels 3
The Red Deer Rebels have lost five straight games.
After winning nine consecutive games to end January, Red Deer finished winless in their five-game road trip through Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
On Tuesday evening the Rebels made a big push in the third period to tie it but fell to the Swift Current Broncos 4-3.
Broncos Conor Geekie scored a hat trick and goaltender Reid Dyck stood tall with 33 saves.
Head coach Derrick Walser said it came down to taking too many penalties. The Rebels gave the Broncos five powerplay opportunities, two of which came late in the third period.
“When you’re in a rut you’ve got to play more disciplined,” he said. “We had a push in the third period but at that point, it was too little too late.”
To start the game the Broncos took a 2-0 lead in the first period.
The first came on the powerplay just over a minute and a half in from Geekie.
Broncos defenceman Peyton Kettles scored his first of the season halfway through the opening frame to extend Swift Current’s lead.
The Rebels responded in the second period to tie it 2-2 early on.
Forward Kalan Lind knocked in a rebound in front of the net off a Talon Brigley shot to get the Rebels on the board.
Over four minutes later, Brigley got his second point of the night assisting on an Ollie Josephson goal. On the offensive rush, Brigley beat the defender up the right side and fed Josephson with a pass in front of the net. Josephson then fired it into the open net to beat goaltender Reid Dyck.
The tie lasted for most of the period before Geekie notched his second of the game with eight minutes to go in the second.
Geekie completed the hat trick under two minutes into the third period to give Swift a 4-2 lead. His insurance goal marked his 29th of the season.
However, the Rebels did not go away quietly.
Red Deer piled on 20 shots to Swift Current’s five in the third period but goaltender Reid Dyck stood tall to keep his team up early on. In total, the Rebels outshot their opponents 36-27.
The Rebels hit a post early on but captain Kai Uchacz knocked in a loose puck midway through the period. The goal was reviewed by the officials to make sure Uchacz didn’t kick it in and was ruled a good goal.
The Rebels continued to push but were unable to find the equalizer.
The loss also delays the Rebels’ quest for the central division lead. The Medicine Hat Tigers won on Tuesday giving them a three-point cushion over the Rebels in the standings.
However, the Rebels are in luck. After their home game this Friday at the Peavey Mart Centrium against the Moose Jaw Warriors at 7 p.m., they’ll hit the road on Saturday to take on the Tigers at Co-op Place.