Rebels 6 Pats 4
After winning four straight games at home, the Red Deer Rebels are set for a busy week.
Red Deer defeated the Regina Pats 6-4 Saturday night and will now play four road games in the next five days.
A three-goal third period lifted the Rebels to Saturday’s win in Western Hockey League action at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
Jace Isley got the Rebels on the board 6:14 into the first when he wired a wrist shot past Pats goaltender Drew Sim, who grew up in Tees. This was Isley’s 11th goal of the season.
Kalan Lind made a spectacular play to get the puck to Kai Uchacz, who made no mistake and scored his 10th of the season, doubling Red Deer’s lead at 16:54.
High-level NHL prospect Connor Bedard helped Regina dominate the second period. Bedard scored a power play goal 1:17 into the middle frame and then assisted on a Ryker Evans tally at 8:26 of the second.
Zane Rowan took the lead for the Pats 11:09 into the second, but Rebels forward, and the WHL’s top goal scorer, Ben King tied the game with about two minutes left into the period.
With just 30 seconds left in the frame, Adam McNutt reestablished a one-goal lead for Regina.
Rebels forward Liam Keeler knocked in a rebound off of a King shot for his 22nd goal of the season to even the game at four during a power play about half way through the final period.
King scored his second of the game and 41st of the season roughly two minutes later to put the Rebels on top for good. Arshdeep Bains, who had already recorded two assists in the game, scored his 26th of the season on an empty net to lift Red Deer to the 6-4 win.
Bains now has 76 points on the season and King has 72. They are second and third in the league’s overall points race, respectively. Saskatoon Blades forward Kyle Crnkovic, who has 78 points, is the only player with more than the Rebels’ duo. King also leads the league with 41 goals – the next closest player has 36.
Rebels goaltender Chase Coward stopped 18 of 22 shots in his team’s victory, while Sim topped 33 of 38.
Red Deer is now gearing up to play four road games this week. First the Rebels will head to Medicine Hat to play the Tigers Tuesday, then will take on the Swift Current Broncos Wednesday.
After a day off, the Rebels will take on the Pats in Regina Friday and wraps up the road trip Saturday against the Saskatoon Blades.
The Rebels will return home March 11 to host the Tigers at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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