(Rob Wallator/rawimpressions.ca)

By Kael Clark

Crazy Third leads to Rebels win

Rebels defrost ICE 6-5 in exciting Friday night tilt

Feb 1, 2020 | 7:16 AM

The Red Deer Rebels welcomed the Winnipeg ICE to the Westerner Park Centrium on Friday, ultimately giving the visitors a 6-5 boot out the door.

The ICE’s Michal Teply (20th) opened the scoring 3:51 in, beating Rebels goaltender Byron Fancy over the shoulder.

Red Deer tied it up when Jace Isley (3rd) picked off a pass behind the net before eventually batting it out of mid-air past Winnipeg goaltender Liam Hughes.

The ICE began the second on a two-man advantage that didn’t take long to punish the Rebels. Just 17 seconds in, Issac Johnson (19th) scored as Arshdeep Bains was exiting the box.

Red Deer tied it again just a minute later when Jace Isley (4th, 2nd of the game) potted another on a wraparound. Still ahead of the four minute point of the middle frame, the Rebels got their first lead — 3-2 — when Ben King (11th) directed the puck with his foot into the net.

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Winnipeg tied early in the third, Owen Pederson beating the Rebels defence, and then Fancy to knot things at 3-3 (18th).

A mere minute after that, Winnipeg regained the lead 4-3 when Jackson Leppard (16th) danced between multiple Rebels and roofed the puck past Fancy.

But the Rebels were as pesky as ever on Friday, donning powder blue Hockey Night in Canada jerseys, and tied things up once again on a goal from Keaton Sorenson (6th).

The Rebels then pulled ahead 5-4 when Josh Tarzwell (21st) picked a corner and fooled Hughes.

Red Deer added to their lead on a four-on-three powerplay with captain Ethan Sakowich (9th) blasting a one-timer through the crowd.

And it was only fitting that in the late stages, the man to cut the lead again for Winnipeg — to 6-5 — was the returning former Rebels captain Dawson Barteaux (10th). Barteaux, a Dallas Stars prospect, toe-dragged the puck before ripping it past the blocker of Fancy.

In the Rebels last five wins, they have not scored fewer than four goals in a game. They now sit 15 points back of Saskatoon for the second wild card playoff spot in the East.

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The Rebels play again Saturday in Calgary versus the Hitmen, to whom they lost twice last weekend. You can hear the broadcast LIVE on 106.7 The Drive starting at 1:50.