The Red Deer Rebels nearly pulled off a classic home comeback Friday night at the Centrium, only to fall 4-2 to a Penticton Vees squad that arrived desperate to snap a seven-game losing skid. Down 3-0 early in the second, Red Deer exploded for two goals in a span of just 36 seconds courtesy of Poul Andersen—first a one-timer off the bench, then a tip that rattled off both posts and in—to cut the deficit to one heading into the third. Despite outshooting the visitors 33-27 and generating sustained pressure late, the equalizer never came, and an empty-netter sealed it for the Vees.
The result keeps the Rebels atop the Central Division at 7-4-0-1, but it also highlighted a road team that has quietly built a strong Minnesota pipeline—seven players from the state currently on the roster, including contributors like Gavin Katz (who opened the scoring), Brooks DeMars, Nate Pederson, and starter Kaenan Smith. Leading that group is captain Callum Stone, a Kelowna product who wore the “C” after already suiting up for the franchise back in its BCHL days, giving the expansion club a rare bit of continuity as it tries to build on last year’s conference final appearance. For Red Deer, the fight showed resilience, but the two points went the other way on a night when the Vees simply found a way to hang on.
University of Minnesota commit Gavin Katz scores his 8th goal of the season at 11:39 of the first period, unassisted to make it a 1-0 game for the Vees.–Penticton struck first when Gavin Katz scooped up a loose puck in the corner, cut across Matthew Kondro’s crease and deposited a backhand into the top shelf to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Shots on goal in the first period were 10-6 for the Vees
Hugo, Minnesota native Brooks DeMars makes it a 2-0 game for the Vees at 2:44 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to former Lincoln Star and Shakopee, Minnesota native Nate Pederson and former Brandon Wheat King Giorgos Pantelas.–The Vees extended their lead in the middle frame when Nate Pederson fed the puck from the blue line to Brooks DeMars deep in the Rebels zone. DeMars then cut back toward the net to make it 2-0.
Vegas Knights 2026 7th rounder and Finnish Import Noel Pakarinen makes it a 3-0 game for the Vees at 9:25 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Captain Callum Stone and Canmore, Alberta native Tyler Deakos.–Noel Pakarinen extended the Vees’ lead to three, capitalizing on a rebound to put Red Deer in a huge hole.
Poul Andersen notches his 10th goal of the season at 16:23 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Kaden Meyer and Greydan Peterson.–Just stepping onto the ice, Poul Andersen requested the puck and buried a one-timer to put the Rebels on the board.
Poul Andersen scores his second goal of the game and 11th of the season to get the Rebels within one at 16:59 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Jiri Kamas and Matus Lisy.=Andersen struck again on the very next sequence, deflecting a Jiri Kamas shot off both posts and into the net behind Vees goaltender Kaenan Smith.
Shots on goal in the second period were 14-8 for the Rebels
Kash Alger-East scores into the empty net at 18:24 of the third period. The assist on the goal went to Tyler Deakos.
Shots on goal in the third period were 13-9 for the Rebels. The Rebels outshot the Vees 33-27 in the game.
For the Penticton Vees 18 year old Duluth, Minnesota native Kaenan Smith stopped 31 of the 33 shots he faced for the win for the Vees. For the Rebels Matthew Kondro stopped 23 of the 26 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the game was 1) Kaenan Smith 2) Poul Andersen 3) Gavin Katz
Attendance in Red Deer is 3240
Rebels next game is Saturday October 24th at home against the Lethbridge Hurricanes
