Win streak hits five as Rebels top Hitmen in OT
Rebels 4 Hitmen 3 (OT)
Watching Kalan Lind Tuesday evening at the Peavey Mart Centrium, one would have never guessed that it was his first game back since suffering an upper body injury in late October.
The feisty forward made a triumphant return to the Red Deer Rebels lineup, scoring once and adding an assist in a 4-3 WHL overtime conquest of the Calgary Hitmen.
“I didn’t really know what the plan was, then I got the call this morning that I was going to be in,” said Lind. “I was pretty excited about that and obviously it was a great team win.”
The Rebels ran their winning streak to five games when Ollie Josephson carried the puck around the Calgary net and passed out to Kai Uchacz, whose one-timer from the high slot beat goaltender Ethan Buenaventura 41 seconds into overtime.
The visitors forced extra time with a power play goal off the stick of Carter Yakemchuk with 1:46 remaining in the third period, the star defenceman blowing a shot past netminder Rhett Stoesser from the top of the right circle. It was a six-on-four goal with Buenaventura on the bench.
“We kind of stuck it out until the end. There were some mishaps which are going to happen,” said Lind. “It was kind of a back and forth, ping pong game. In the end we dug a little deeper, blocked shot and got pucks deep.
“It was good that way but I think we still have things to touch up for our next games.”
Chase Valliant staked the Hitmen to an early lead, chipping a rebound by Stoesser just 1:56 into the contest, but Lind evened the score eight minutes later with Red Deer on the power play. Mats Lindgren unloaded from the point and Lind, in front, tipped it home.
“It’s pretty exciting, any time you score a goal you’re pretty happy, but I have some pretty good linemates and we look for each other, including Mats on the point,” said Lind.
“It’s nice to get one in the first game back and hopefully we keep it going this weekend.”
Keets Fawcett restored Calgary’s lead late in the opening period. As he cut to the net the puck glanced off Stoesser’s skate and right back onto Fawcett’s stick.
Following a scoreless second period, the Rebels finally pulled even 5:33 into the third when Lind came out of the corner and fed Frantisek Formanek, who stepped around Buenaventura and shovelled home a backhand.
Dwayne Jean Jr. gave the Rebels their first lead of the game just over four minutes later. Jace Weir spotted his teammate down low and after hauling in a perfect feed from the defenceman, Jean Jr. potted his first goal of the season.
“Uchacz had a chance to get a shot off on the play, then it went back to the point and to Jean Jr. and he buried it,” said Rebels head coach Derrick Walser. “It was a big goal.”
While the Rebels kept their winning streak alive, Walser wasn’t overly thrilled with the team’s overall performance.
“Of the five (wins) that’s the one I probably disliked the most,” he said. “I thought we were too casual, not taking care of pucks.
‘We’ll take it but we have to fix it.”
The Rebels were one-for-four with a man advantage and killed five of Calgary’s six power plays.
“They (penalty killers) were excellent, they blocked shots and the effort was there,” said Walser. “But you can’t give a team that many opportunities.
“We talked about being disciplined. You can’t give them that many looks, but we got away with it and got the extra point.
“It’s over and done with, now we have to find a way to score more than three goals (in regulation).”
Notable: Both goaltenders were stellar, with Stoesser making 22 saves and Buenaventura blocking 27 shots . . . The three stars: (1) Formanek, (2) Fawcett and (3) Uchacz, who ran his points streak to 12 games with a goal and assist . . . The Rebels are back in action Friday against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors and host the Everett Silvertips 24 hours later. Saturday’s game is the annual Toque and Teddy Bear Toss in support of the Red Deer Christmas Bureau. When the Rebels score their first goal, fans are invited to toss their winter items onto the ice. There will be items available for purchase at the game for $5. The Christmas Bureau is looking for new toques, mittens, gloves, scarves, and socks.
(Photos by Taylor Lachance)
