The season is over for the Red Deer Rebels.
The Rebels were eliminated by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs after losing 6-4 in Game 5 Saturday in Lethbridge.
Hurricane Brad Morrison scored four points in the game. He got his team on the board first, scoring his fifth of the series about four minutes into the game.
Grayson Pawlenchuk answered right back for the Rebels, putting the puck past Huricanes goaltender Logan Flodell. Reese Johnson and Carson Sass picked up the assists on the goal.
The Rebels then took the lead when Brandon Hagel scored his fifth off a feed from Alexander Alexeyev.
But, just a couple minutes later, Jordy Bellerive tied the game, beating Rebels netminder Ethan Anders for his fourth of the series.
Alexeyev got the Rebels back on top with a powerplay marker about four minutes into the second period. The goal was Alexeyev’s second of the playoffs.
Despite being outshot 18-2 in the second period, the Rebels went into the third with a 3-2 lead.
The Hurricanes tied the game just three minutes into the third when Calen Addison beat Anders. Lethbridge’s Taylor Ross then scored about a minute later, giving the Hurricanes a 4-3 lead.
Shortly after Hagel got the puck to Johnson who made no mistake and scored, tying the game once again.
But Ross scored his second of the game shortly after to put his Hurricanes up 5-4.
Morrison stuck the dagger into the Rebels’ season, scoring an empty-net goal with just over minute left.
The Rebels got off to a slow start in the series, dropping the first two games in Lethbridge. Red Deer then lost Game 3 at home in overtime, but was able to win Game 4.
Anders faced stopped 44 of 49 shots in the loss. Red Deer was outshot 50-24.
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Red Deer Rebels forward Mason McCarty chases a loose puck while Lethbridge Hurricanes goaltender Logan Flodell turns the shot away during Game 5 of the teams’ opening round Western Hockey League series Saturday night at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge. (Photo by DALE WOODWARD/Lethbridge Herald)
