2017 TELUS Cup

REBELS USE THIRD-PERIOD BURST TO BEAT PAT CANADIANS

JASON LA ROSE

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – Michael Hill had a goal and two assists, and the Mississauga Rebels scored three times in just over three minutes in the third period to beat the Regina Pat Canadians 5-2 in the opening game for both Monday at the 2017 TELUS Cup.

It’s the fifth year in a row the West Region and Central Region champions have opened the tournament against each other; Central has won two in a row, but West leads 3-2 overall.

The Pat Canadians owned the puck in the early going, taking a 1-0 lead before the Rebels had recorded their first shot; the rebound of a Tyler Lees shot bounced off the arm of Lukas Sillinger and dropped to his feet, and he banged the bouncing puck past Mississauga goaltender Christian Purboo just 3:40 in.

The Rebels would not test Regina netminder Nathan Moore until the 12:12 mark but quickly found their offensive stride, taking the lead for good with goals on their second and third shots.

Elijah Gonsalves was first, toe-dragging into the slot before catching Moore going the other way at 12:57, and Hill made it 2-1 at 13:36 by snapping a quick slot low to the far side.

After a scoreless second period that included only 10 shots on goal – five by each team – the floodgates opened in the third.

Eric Mergelas gave the Rebels a 3-1 lead at 3:33, going off the post and in past Moore, but Sillinger set up Harrison Blaisdell for a one-time rocket 54 seconds later to make it a one-goal game again.

Liam Mroueh needed just 40 seconds to restore the two-goal lead, picking the top corner over Moore, and Ryan Madigan finished the scoring 90 ticks after that, jamming in a loose puck at the side of the Regina net.

In all, the teams combined for four goals in 3:04.

The Pat Canadians had their chances late, including four power plays in the last 10 minutes, but couldn’t get another puck past Purboo, who finished with 19 saves.

Mississauga is right back to action in the early game Tuesday, taking on the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François (12 p.m. PT), before the Pat Canadians take on the host Cariboo Cougars in the night cap (7:30 p.m. PT).