By Troy Gillard (@Troy_Gillard)

Johnson hat trick leads Rebels to OT win over Kootenay

Nov 17, 2018 | 9:33 PM

The Red Deer Rebels are establishing home ice dominance and overtime prowess so far in the 2018-19 WHL season.  

Reese Johnson capped off a natural hat trick performance with the OT winner Saturday night as the Rebels downed the visiting Kootenay Ice 5-4 at the Enmax Centrium.

The Rebels are now 9-1 at home this season and 5-1 in overtime games.

“It’s awesome, obviously at winning at home in OT is one of the best feelings in hockey, it was awesome,” Johnson said.

Kootenay opened the scoring 5:01 into period one as Owen Pederson beat Ethan Anders through the five-hole for his first WHL goal.

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Red Deer replied with a power play goal at the 10:34 mark as Jeff de Wit, parked on the edge of the Kootenay goal crease, tipped home a slap pass from Brandon Hagel for his 14th goal of the season.

After Zak Smith rang a shot off the post for the Rebels, Connor McClennon led a 2-on-1 the other way and ripped one top shelf for a 2-1 Ice lead 2:02 into period two.

The Rebels pulled even again when Smith fed a nice pass to Alex Morozoff, who beat Ice goalie Jesse Makaj for his fourth goal of the year 9:04 into the middle frame.

Red Deer took the lead for the first time with another power play goal, this time from Reese Johnson who pushed one across the goal line at the 13:21 mark.

That lead was short lived, however, as McClennon put home his second goal of the game less than three minutes later to make it a 3-3 game through 40 minutes.

Another game, another Rebels shorthanded goal as Hagel drove to the net and fed Johnson for his second goal of the game. Red Deer lead 4-3 on their seventh shorthanded tally of the season 2:25 into the third period.

However, Kootenay bounced right back as a point shot from Jonathan Smart deflected off of a Rebels defender and past Anders for a power play goal at the 3:50 mark. The game was once again tied, this time 4-4.

In overtime, Jeff de Wit drew a penalty and the Rebels took advantage as Hagel set up Johnson for a one-timer blast from the face-off dot that beat Makaj for the game winner 2:50 into the extra frame.

“We practice those types of situation in practice lots. Obviously getting the one-timer through the seam is pretty huge, it was a nice pass from Hags,” Johnson noted. 

Despite the win, Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter felt his team’s performance left room for improvement. 

“We turned pucks over in certain areas, especially in the first two periods,” he surmized. “(Kootenay) are a really good transition team and if you don’t manage pucks the right way and support where the pucks are at and you get above they play, then you give up odd-man rushes. That’s what happened in the first two periods. That’s just a focus thing.”

Red Deer outshot Kootenay 40-30 in the night and was 3-for-4 on the power play. The Ice were 1-for-2 with the man advantage.

The Rebels are 3-0 versus the Ice this season. Two of the games have gone to overtime. 

Kootenay was without star forward Peyton Krebs as he was injured Friday night versus Calgary.

The Rebels and Ice will battle again Friday, Nov. 23 in Cranbrook (7 p.m. on 106.7 THE DRIVE).