By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Rebels put up 8 on Kootenay, sit third overall in WHL

Oct 28, 2018 | 8:14 PM

Goals, goals and more goals.

That was the theme Sunday afternoon as the Red Deer Rebels defeated division rival Kootenay by a score of 8-5 in Cranbrook.

In a back and forth first period, captain Reese Johnson scored twice in the first 2:29, his sixth and seventh goals on the season with the second coming shorthanded.

Before the five minute mark, however, Kootenay tied it on goals from Brad Ginnell and former Rebel Cameron Hausinger.

Blake Sydlowski regained the lead for Red Deer with his first WHL goal at 7:59, and the fist period would end with the Rebels leading 3-2.

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In the second, Alexander Alexeyev notched his seventh goal of the year for the Rebels and Arshdeep Bains scored his second before the six minute mark. 

Josh Tarzwell added another before the period was out to make it 6-2 Red Deer through 40 minutes.

Kootenay made a game of it in the third period, scoring three times on the powerplay in the first 6:37 to cut Red Deer’s lead to 6-5.

However, Jeff de Wit would score his ninth at 10:56, and Reese Johnson capped off his hat trick with his eights goal of the season into the empty net to ice it.

Kootenay outshot Red Deer 41-26 and were 3/6 on the ppwer play, while the Rebels were 0/2 with the man advantage.

Ethan Anders made 36 saves for his ninth win of the season. The Pilot Butte, SK native has made a league-leading 440 saves this season in 13 games played.

Also of note, forward Brandon Hagel extended his point scoring streak to six games with three assists. The trio of helpers give Hagel 28 points in 15 games, good for third in WHL scoring. 

Alexeyev also has a six-game point streak. His one goal and two assists Sunday give him 20 points on the year, tied for most among WHL defencemen with Saskatoon’s Dawson Davidson. His seven goals are also tied for most league-wide among blue liners.

Red Deer is now 10-4-1-0 and sit atop the WHL Central Division with 21 points, two ahead of Edmonton and three ahead of Medicine Hat, both of whom have played more games.

The Rebels’ 21 points is also second in the Eastern Conference, nine points behind the CHL’s top team, the Prince Albert Raiders. That number is also good for third best in the entire WHL.

Up next for the Rebels is a road matchup with the Calgary Hitmen next Saturday, Nov. 3. The game can be heard on 106.7 The Drive starting at 1:20 p.m. with puck drop at 1:30.