Third period surge leads Rebels to 7-3 slump busting win over Victoria

The Red Deer Rebels saw the Victoria Royals erase a two-goal deficit late in the third period Saturday night at the Peavey Mart Centrium.

Then came period three where the Rebels erupted for four goals on their way to an emphatic 7-3 win in front of 5,054 faithful fans.

The win brought a screeching halt to Red Deer’s six-game winless drought.

“To a man, everybody was consistent from start to finish. You see what it takes to win a hockey game, and they did it,” said Rebels head coach Dave Struch.

 

STATS STORY

Jaxon Fuder (RD) – 2 goals

Matthew Gard (RD) – 1 goal, 1 assist

Ollie Josephson (RD) – 1 goal, 1 assist

Chase Wutzke (RD) – 41 saves

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The increasingly dynamic rookie duo Steven Steranka and Beckett Hamilton authored the game’s first goal as Steranka fed Hamilton who went top shelf past Victoria goalie and Sylvan Lake native Spencer Michnik for his fifth goal of the year 4:47 into period one.

Jaxon Fuder made it 2-0 late in the opening frame when he tipped home a centering feed from Matteo Fabrizi for his first goal in seven games.

Victoria got on the scoresheet late in period two when Hayden Moore snapped a shot past Wutzke for a shorthanded tally.

But a mere 27 seconds later, Ollie Josephson fired home his seventh goal of the year to restore Red Deer’s two-goal lead at 3-1.

The Royals, however, scored twice just over two minutes apart to send the game to the second intermission tied 3-3. Caleb Matthews tipped home his second goal of the season and Winnipeg Jets draft pick Markus Lopoken added his seventh.

The Rebels started their third period rally just 90 seconds into the final frame as Trae Wilke took a pass from Matthew Gard and went bar down past Michnik for his third goal of the season and first since October 16 in Calgary.

Just shy of 12 minutes into the period, Fuder was gifted a turnover by a Royals defenceman and ripped home a one-timer for his second goal of the game and fifth of the season to make it 5-3.

Gard then netted one of his own 1:59 later as he knocked down a rising point shot by Jhett Larson then tapped home the puck for his fifth goal of the year.

Red Deer’s next goal ended the club’s 0-for-29 drought on the power play. Josephson won a draw back to Hunter Mayo who’s ensuing point shot was tipped home by Carson Birnie. The Arcola, SK native’s seventh goal of the year game, just 39 seconds after Gard’s goal, rounded out the scoring on the night.

Victoria outshot Red Deer 44-34 on the night. Red Deer was 1-for-3 on the power play while the Royals went 0-for-5.

THREE STARS

1. Gard

2. Josephson

3. Fuder

WHAT THEY SAID

“We worked on some things this week that we did well in the first period. Second period, we played good for about five, six minutes and then obviously let them back into it. And the third period was a great learning experience for, you know, the way that we talk about our identity, the way we need to play,” said Struch.

“It’s nice to get a couple goals, but I couldn’t have done it without all the boys, everyone contributed,” said Fuder.

NOTES – Rebels forward Kalan Lind, in his first game after missing 14 due to a lower body injury, was assessed a match penalty for cross-checking in the first period. Royals forward Nolan Stewart was injured on the play and did not return … Mayo and Larson each had two assists for the Rebels … defenceman Dmitri Toporowski had an assist for the Rebels in his WHL debut. The 18-year-old joined the club as an affiliated player from the La Ronge Ice Wolves (SJHL) … Red Deer scored seven goals for the first time this season and after managing just nine total tallies on their six-game U.S. road trip.

NEXT UP

The Rebels visit the Edmonton Oil Kings Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Rogers Place (106.7 REWIND Radio, CHL TV).