By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Third period collapse costly for Rebels in Edmonton

Dec 30, 2018 | 5:39 PM

A rough third period proved costly for the Red Deer Rebels as they fell 5-4 to the Edmonton Oil Kings Sunday at Rogers Place.

Edmonton pulled three points ahead of the Rebels for first place in the WHL Central Division as the two teams split their home and home weekend series (Red Deer won 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday).

Edmonton led 1-0 after the first period on a goal from Jake Neighbours just 2:21 in.

Red Deer exploded for three goals in the second period. Oleg Zaytsev got things going with his sixth goal of the year at the 9:24 mark. Dawson Barteaux scored his third at 12:31 and Jeff de Wit scored a power play goal, his second goal in as many games and 21st on the season, at 16:01.

The Oil Kings pounced on a sluggish Rebels squad early in the third to pull within 3-2 on a goal from Andrei Pavlenko.

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Not long after, however, Johnson struck for his second goal of the game to make it 4-2 for the Rebels.

After being kept off the scoresheet Saturday, for just the fifth time this season, Trey Fix-Wolansky tied the game for Edmonton with his 22nd and 23rd goals of the year four minutes apart.

The Oil Kings were then given a 5-on-3 power play for a full two minutes on Rebels penalties to Zaytsev and de Wit. Edmonton would capitalize as Vince Loschiavo collected a bouncing puck and deposited it past Anders for a 5-4 Oil Kings lead.

Red Deer was given a late chance to tie the game when Edmonton took a delay of game penalty with 36 seconds left, but the Oil Kings were able to kill the clock and claim victory.

Edmonton outshot Red Deer 38-25 and was 1-for-4 on the power play while the Rebels were 1-for-6.

Oil Kings defenceman Matthew Robertson, who left Saturday’s game in Red Deer on a stretcher after colliding with Jacob Herauf at the end of the first period, is said to be feeling fine and is out day-to-day.

The Rebels are back in action Wednesday night when they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Enmax Centrium (7 p.m. on 106.7 THE DRIVE).