Local news delivered daily to your email inbox. Subscribe for FREE to the rdnewsNOW newsletter.

Ice edge Rebels in overtime

Oct 29, 2017 | 6:44 PM

Coming off back to back 4-3 overtime wins over Spokane and Regina on Friday and Saturday, the Red Deer Rebels just barely failed to make it three in a row, losing 5-4 in overtime to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook on Sunday.

The first period saw Kootenay quickly get on the board first with a rebound goal from Cale Fleury just 1:09 into the opening frame to give the home team an early 1-0 lead. The Rebels would respond just under seven minutes later though when Chris Douglas scored from the high slot to tie it up at one goal apiece. However, former Rebel Cameron Hausinger restored the Ice’s one-goal lead when he put one behind Red Deer goalie Byron Fancy at the 10:56 mark to make it 2-1 Kootenay.

In the second period, the Ice expanded their lead when Colton Kroeker potted his seventh of the year at 6:53 to make it 3-1 Kootenay. Red Deer cut into that lead though when Kristian Reichel scored his fifth of the season at 12:20 to make it 3-2 Ice. Just over two minutes later, the Rebels Austin Pratt would add another one for the visitors, his fourth of the year, when he scored on Kootenay netminder Kurtis Chapman at 14:24 to tie the game at 3-3.

The third period was a tight one, as no one found the net again until the last couple minutes. Red Deer’s Reese Johnson scoring at 17:39, his fifth of the season which put the Rebels up 4-3. However, the lead was short-lived as only 30 seconds later, the Ice tied it up at 4-4, thanks to a power play goal from Alec Baer at 18:09, his fourth of the year and sending the game to overtime.

In OT, it was the Ice who managed to pull out the victory as Cale Fleury scored his second of the night and fifth of the season at 2:27, resulting in a 5-4 win for the home side.

Shots on net saw Kootenay outshoot the Rebels 27-26, with Red Deer going 0 for 2 on the power play. Kootenay was 1 for 4.

Kootenay’s record improves to 7-7-1 on the season with 15 points and good for fourth place in the WHL’s Central Division.                                                                                                                                                                 

The Rebels move to 8-6-1 with 17 points and remain in second spot in the Central.

Red Deer’s next game is November 1 when they host the Seattle Thunderbirds. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at the Enmax Centrium.

You can also catch the game live on 106.7 The Drive starting at 6:30 p.m.