Reichel hat trick lifts Rebels past Hitmen in preseason opener

To say Kristian Reichel’s first North American hockey game was successful would be about right.

The lone selection by the Red Deer Rebels in this year’s CHL Import Draft scored three times in a 5-3 win for his club over the Calgary Hitmen in WHL preseason action Friday night at the Enmax Centrium.

Reichel opened the scoring 19 seconds into the game when he ripped a wrist shot from the slot off the post and past Calgary goalie Nick Schneider.

Reichel struck again at the 15:30 when Schneider whiffed on another wrister. Red Deer led 2-0 after 20 minutes despite being outshot 12-6.

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Calgary got on the board 3:27 into period two when Layne Toder beat Ethan Anders, who’s in from the Tisdale Trojans of the SMHL trying to earn a goalie job with the Rebels.

Justyn Gurney tied it 2-2 just 1:31 later before Chris Douglas, who joined the Rebels midway through last season from the midget AAA Greater Vancouver Canadians, beat Schneider through the five hole for a 3-2 Red Deer lead.

Hunter Campbell scored for Calgary at 13:28 to tie the game again, briefly, until River Fahey went bar down at 15:17 to put Red Deer ahead 4-3 through two periods.   

Lasse Petersen, the 20-year-old goalie who once toiled with the Hitmen, took over in net for the Rebels to start the third period and would end up stopping all nine shots he faced. Anders finished with 15 saves in his 40 minutes of work.

With a pair of Hitmen sinners in the penalty box, Reichel scored 13 seconds into the ensuing 5-on-3 power play for his hat trick tally.

Among the many Rebels veterans sitting in the stands for this game were Grayson Pawlenchuk, Austin Pratt, Mason McCarty, Carson Sass, Ethan Sakowich, Akash Bains, Jordan Roy, Jared Freadrich and Dawson Martin.

Following the game, the Rebels trimmed defenceman Nic Draffin (2001) and forward Justin Svenson (2001)from their roster. Both players will return to midget AAA. With these moves, the Rebels have 33 players on their roster.  

Preseason tournament action continues at the Enmax Centrium on Saturday with Calgary taking on Prince George at 3 p.m. followed by the Rebels vs. Edmonton at 7 p.m.

Friday’s opening game of the tournament saw Prince George beat Edmonton 3-2.

More to come.