Rebels earn another point in overtime battle with Warriors

MOOSE JAW – The storyline wrote itself Sunday afternoon as the Red Deer Rebels took on their former starting goaltender for the first time since he was traded to the Moose Jaw Warriors.

And while Chase Wutzke was indeed solid for Moose Jaw, so too was Matthew Kondro as the two netminders turned in a clinic as the Warriors edged the Rebels 3-2 in overtime at the Temple Gardens Centre.

Samuel Drancak and Jaxon Fuder supplied the offence for Red Deer, who take a hard-earned point out of Moose Jaw for the second time this season.

Stats Story

Casey Brown (MJ) – 1 goal, 1 assist

Samuel Drancak (RD) – 1 goal

Jaxon Fuder (RD) – 1 goal

Matthew Kondro (RD) – 31 saves

Chase Wutzke (MJ) – 34 saves

How it Happened

Just 43 seconds into the game, Samuel Drancak got a piece of Nate Yellowaga’s point shot, redirecting it past Wutzke to give Red Deer an early 1-0 lead.

Moose Jaw tied it up later in the period as WHL scoring leader Lynden Lakovic picked the top corner on Kondro for a power play tally.

Into the middle frame, the shorthanded Warriors cleared the puck leading to a two-on-one rush, where Gage Nagel set up Casey Brown to give Moose Jaw a 2-1 advantage.

With minutes to go in the frame, the Rebels found themselves on the powerplay and it was Jaxon Fuder who capitalized with a rocket short-side from the bottom of the circle, tying the game 2-2 heading into the intermission.

A scoreless third sent the game to overtime. After great scoring chances at both ends Ethan Semeniuk found a loose puck in the neutral zone and beat Kondro on a breakaway with 1:25 left in extra time.

Kondro stopped 31 shots in a strong performance for Red Deer, while Wutzke denied the Rebels 34 times for Moose Jaw.

The Rebels went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Warriors converted 1-of-3 opportunities with the man advantage.

Brandt Three Stars

1. Brown (MJ)
2. Wutzke (MJ)
3. Drancak (RD)

Notes

Rebels centre Matthew Gard served game three of a five-game suspension for a checking to the head major + game misconduct he was assessed November 1 versus Swift Current … recently arrived Czech forward Matej Mikes took to warm-ups for the Rebels as he works towards his WHL debut … scratches for the game were defenceman Nikolas Ferry and forward Zane Torre.

Next up

The Rebels now turn their attention to an afternoon matinee on Tuesday, November 11, when they visit the Brandon Wheat Kings. Puck drop is set for 1:30 p.m. MT, with live coverage on 106.7 Rewind Radio and Victory+.