In an exciting showdown on Friday, the Red Deer Rebels displayed their tenacity as they consistently battled from behind. Their determination paid off when Dwayne Jean Jr. netted the decisive goal in overtime at the Siksika Deerfoot Sportsplex, securing a 5-4 victory over the Calgary Hitmen in the first WHL pre-season game for both teams.
The opening period saw Hitmen defenceman Wyatt Pisarcyk notch the lone goal, on the power play. However, Jeramiah Roberts quickly leveled the score early in the second frame. Calgary’s Benjamin Kindel briefly restored their lead at the 7:30 mark, only for Samuel Drancak, on a power play, to pull the Rebels even just over three minutes later. Keets Fawcett then gave Calgary a 3-2 lead, which persisted through the remainder of the period.
After being outshot 11-7 in the first period, the Rebels made a strong comeback, holding a 13-12 advantage in the second period and outshooting the Hitmen 16-9 in the third. This effort resulted in the Rebels outscoring the Hitmen 2-1 in the third period. Quentin Bourne, a defenceman for the Rebels, made a significant contribution with a goal at 8:17 of the third period. However, the Hitmen responded once again, this time with a goal from Maxim Muranov.
The turning point came when Rebels’ 15-year-old forward Beckett Hamilton converted a breakaway opportunity, thanks to a perfect feed from Bourne, at the 11:53 mark, forcing the game into overtime. Dwayne Jean Jr., who had a goal and an assist, and defenceman Nicholas Andrusiak, who contributed with a pair of assists, also made vital contributions to the victory, each earning two points for the winning team. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Taylor Tabashniuk stood tall in the Rebels’ net, stopping 28 of the 32 shots he faced.
In the opposing net, Alex Garrett started for the Hitmen and blocked 18 of the 20 shots directed his way, while veteran Ethan Buenaventura turned aside 14 of 17. Both teams demonstrated their prowess on the power play, with each going one-for-three in power play opportunities.
Looking ahead, the Rebels will host the Edmonton Oil Kings in their second pre-season contest on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Peavey Mart Centrium.