The Rebels opened preseason Friday night down in Tsuut’ina Nation with a young group that only had a handful of last year’s regulars in the lineup, and they hung right with Calgary before a late punch decided it. Julien Maze beat Peyton Shore just 22 seconds in, but Luke Jamieson answered on a nice 3-on-2 with Owen DeWitt and Nolan Schmidt to tie it. Stillwater, Minnesota native Teague McGlynn then snuck in on a breakaway to put the Hitmen back up after one. The second period stayed quiet, and Luc Trevors evened things again early in the third on the power play off a feed from behind the net by Noah Chadi. Maze got the last laugh with 1:15 left, making it 3-2. Shore and Chase Nielson split the net and both looked solid; Calgary just found a way when it counted.
Saturday at the Centrium was almost a carbon copy, except this one needed overtime. Matthew Kondro was sharp early, turning aside a Blake Vanek breakaway among other chances, and neither team scored through two periods even after the goalies swapped out. Brennen Brown opened it on the power play early in the third off a Wyatt Piscarczyk shot, then Calder Hamilton tipped a point shot through for 2-0. Cameron Kuzma got Red Deer on the board with a shot from the left circle, and 1:24 later Hermantown, Minnesota native Paxson Madill forced a turnover, Kuzma moved it on, and Poul Andersen finished from the slot to tie it 2-2. Kuzma took a late slashing major, though, and Vanek scored 28 seconds into OT on the 4-on-3 to give Calgary another 3-2 win.Two one-goal losses to the same club isn’t the start anyone wanted, but the kids showed they can push back and the goaltending looks ready. Kuzma and Andersen both chipped in a goal and an assist Saturday, Jamieson and Trevors found the net Friday, and the group as a whole didn’t look out of place. Next up is Lethbridge on Thursday then the Oil Kings at home Friday to wrap the exhibition slate. Plenty of hockey left, and this weekend at least proved the Rebels aren’t going to roll over.
