Matteo Fabrizi, who scored his first of the season, skates up ice with the puck in the Red Deer Rebels' season opener against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, at the Peavey Mart Centrium on Sept. 21, 2024. (Red Deer Rebels)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

dropping the puck on 2024-25 whl season

Rebels drop season opener 2-1 in OT to Hurricanes

Sep 21, 2024 | 10:50 PM

It was opening night for the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday as they hosted the Lethbridge Hurricanes to drop the puck on the 2024-25 WHL season.

Lethbridge won their season opener at home last night against Edmonton.

The Rebels and Canes duked it out in what was a tight affair on the scoreboard, and though Red Deer outplayed Lethbridge for a good portion, it was the visitors ultimately coming out on top by a final score of 2-1, in overtime.

Scoring summary

It did not take long to open the scoring as the Rebels’ Matteo Fabrizi (1st) potted one just 2:35 into the first period on a delayed penalty; Carson Birnie and Samuel Drancak assisted on the goal that saw Fabrizi put the puck into a wide open net.

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The Rebels took the lone penalty of the first, Cohen Poulin for playing without a helmet, but the teams went to the dressing rooms with Red Deer up 1-0.

The penalty box doors were much busier in the second with the teams combining for nine minor infractions.

But the lone goal of the frame came at even strength, and with 2:01 remaining, off the stick of Hayden Pakkala (1st).

It was 1-1 after 40 minutes, and Red Deer had outshot the guests 21-7.

Both sides were much more disciplined in the third period; however, Red Deer was unable to capitalize on a pair of power plays, and Lethbridge missed its chance on one.

This game then headed for OT.

The winning goal came from Langley, B.C.’s Logan Wormald (1st) at the 2:51 mark, and it was game over. Red Deer didn’t register a shot in the extra frame.

Shots

LET: 4-3-4-3 (14)

RD: 7-14-10-0 (31)

Power play

LET: 0/4

RD: 0/3

Three stars

1st: Koen Cleaver (LET) – 30 saves

2nd: Carson Birnie (RD) – 1 assist

3rd: Matthew Gard (RD) – 14/21 FOW, 1 shot

Rhett Stoesser got the call in net on Saturday for Red Deer, stopping 12 of 14 shots in 62:51 of action.

The Rebels now have almost a week off before they host another Central Division rival, the Medicine Hat Tigers. That game goes Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. from the Peavey Mart Centrium. The broadcast can be heard live on 106.7 REWIND Radio starting at 6:30.

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