Winnipeg right winger Connor McClennon scored the empty net insurance goal for the Ice at the Peavey Mart Centrium in Red Deer Tuesday night and sealed the victory for the visitors. (Winnipeg Ice)

By Sheldon Spackman

3-1 Loss

Winnipeg stays undefeated with hard earned win over Rebels

Oct 26, 2021 | 9:59 PM

The Red Deer Rebels took their 6-3-1 record into the Peavey Mart Centrium Tuesday night to face the undefeated and league-leading 9-0 Winnipeg Ice and came out with a 3-1 loss.

The first period saw no goals scored and the Ice outshooting the Rebels 17-8 after 20 minutes. Both teams also went 0/1 on the power play.

Winnipeg eventually broke the ice in the scoreless tie though when Mikey Milne pushed in a loose puck laying behind Rebels goalie Connor Ungar at 15:26 of the second period to put the visitors up 1-0. The power play goal followed a tripping penalty to Red Deer’s Ben King and was Milne’s seventh goal of the season, assisted by Jakin Smallwood and Connor Geekie.

A short time later, however, the Rebels Liam Keeler redirected a pass from teammate Jayden Grubbe passed Winnipeg netminder Gage Alexander to tie it back up at 1-1. Keeler’s power play goal and fifth of the season followed a hooking penalty to the Ice’s Connor McClennon and was also assisted by Kyle Masters at the 17:55 mark.

The Rebels outshot Winnipeg 12-5 in the second period, but still trailed the Ice 22-20 in total shots after 40 minutes of play. Red Deer was 1/2 on the power play while Winnipeg was 1/3 on the power play to that point.

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The Ice regained the lead early in the third period when Skyler Bruce scored his sixth of the season at 1:48, assisted by Chase Bertholet. It turned out to be the eventual game winner.

Then with just under two minutes remaining, the Rebels pulled goaltender Connor Ungar to send out the extra attacker, but Winnipeg’s Connor McClennon shot the puck into Red Deer’s empty net at 19:42 to seal the 3-1 win for the Ice.

Winnipeg outshot Red Deer 12-7 in the third period, with the Ice outshooting the Rebels 34-27 over 60 minutes. Meanwhile, Red Deer finished 1/3 on the power play and Winnipeg 1/4.

Winnipeg’s Mikey Milne was named the game’s third star, with Red Deer’s Arshdeep Bains named the second star. The Ice’s Chase Bertholet was named the game’s first star.

Winnipeg’s victory was their 10^th in-a-row and ties a WHL record of 10 straight victories to open a season. The benchmark was previously reached by the 2014-2015 Kelowna Rockets and 2006-2007 Vancouver Giants.

The loss for Red Deer drops their record to 6-4-1 with their next game Saturday, Oct. 30 when they host the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Peavey Mart Centrium for a 7 p.m. face-off.