By Sheldon Spackman

7-6 SO

Rebels down Blades in shootout thriller

Dec 28, 2021 | 9:08 PM

Heading into the Christmas break on a three-game winning streak, the Red Deer Rebels returned to action Tuesday with an exciting 7-6 shootout win over the Blades in Saskatoon.

In the first of a four-game road trip for Red Deer this week, it was Saskatoon who opened the scoring at 7:07 of the first period when Tristen Robins scored on 17-year-old Rebels netminder Justen Maric, playing in his first game in the WHL. The goal came on the power play following a checking to the head penalty to Red Deer’s Kalan Lind. It was Robins’ 13^th goal of the season with assists coming from Charlie Wright and Kyle Crnkovic.

The Rebels responded soon afterwards though, when Ben King put one behind Blades goaltender Austin Elliott, playing in only his second WHL game. The goal was King’s 20^th of the season and came at the 7:24 mark, tying things up at 1-1. Arshdeep Bains and Jhett Larson assisted on the play.

Saskatoon regained the lead, however, when Kyle Crnkovic lit the lamp at 8:42 to put the Blades up 2-1. It was Crnkovic’s 17^th goal of the season and assisted by Tristen Robins.

The Blades then added one more before the period’s end, when Brandon Lisowsky scored his 16^th of the season at 16:58 to make it 3-1. The goal was assisted by Aidan De La Gorgendiere and Tristen Robins and came on the power play following a tripping penalty to Red Deer’s Talon Brigley.

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Shots on net after 20 minutes was 14-6 in favour of Red Deer, with the Rebels making a goalie change to start the second period, putting in newly signed 15-year-old draft pick Chase Wutzke for his first taste of WHL action.

In the second period, Red Deer’s Talon Brigley scored his second of the season at 3:26 to close the Blades lead to 3-2. Kyle Masters and Ben King assisted on the goal.

Kyle Crnkovic then scored for Saskatoon at 7:59 and put the home team up 4-2. It was Crnkovic’s second goal of the game and 18^th of the season and assisted by Aidan De La Gorgendiere and Tristen Robins.

The Blades added to their lead a short time later when Jayden Wiens scored on the power play following a checking from behind penalty to Red Deer’s Dallon Melin. It was Wein’s eighth goal of the season and came at the 9:39 mark to make it 5-2 Blades. Tristen Robins and Kyle Crnkovic assisted on the play.

Then just 11 seconds later, Red Deer’s Arshdeep Bains scored his 16^th of the season to make it 5-3, with an assist from Jhett Larson on the play.

The Rebels closed the gap even further when Liam Keeler scored unassisted at 12:00 to make it 5-4. It was Keeler’s ninth goal of the season.

Red Deer would tie the game at 5-5 when Jace Isley scored his fourth of the season at 17:35 with assists coming from Blake Stevenson and Liam Keeler.

Then with just seven seconds left in the period, Saskatoon’s Kyle Crnkovic scored his third of the game and 19^th of the season to make it 6-5 Blades after two.

Red Deer outshot Saskatoon 15-7 in the second period, for a two period total of 29-13 in favour of the Rebels.

Saskatoon made a goalie change to start the third period, putting in 20-year-old netminder Nolan Maier in place of the 17-year-old Elliott.

It was the Rebels who struck first in the third period though, when Ben King scored his second of the game and 21^st of the season at 10:42 to make it 6-6. King’s goal came on the power play following a high sticking penalty to Saskatoon’s Lukas Hansen, with the Rebels Blake Stevenson assisting on the play.

The game remained tied 6-6 after 60 minutes with Red Deer outshooting Saskatoon 12-5 in the final frame. Shots on goal finished 41-18 in favour of Red Deer after three periods.

In overtime, neither team scored, with Saskatoon outshooting Red Deer 3-1 in extra time.

Red Deer went 1/3 on the power play, while Saskatoon went 3/4 with the man advantage.

In the shootout that followed, it was Red Deer’s Talon Brigley that eventually scored the game winner. It was the second goal of the game and third of the season for the 16-year-old from Sylvan Lake, AB, and a big one at that.

The game’s third star, however, was Red Deer’s Ben King, while Saskatoon’s Tristen Robins was named second star and the Blades Kyle Crnkovic named first star of the game.

The shootout win improves the Rebels record to 21-9-1-1 with 44 points on the season, while the Blades drop to 16-13-1-1 with 34 points.

The Rebels continue their four-game road trip Dec. 29 in Prince Albert to face the 12-15-1-1 Raiders. Face-off is 6 p.m. MST.