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Looking back at past Rebels-Hurricanes playoff series

Mar 21, 2018 | 4:52 PM

After going 15 years between playoff meetings, the Red Deer Rebels and Lethbridge Hurricanes are set to duel in the post-season for a second straight season.

It’ll be the sixth time the two Alberta rivals have met for a playoff series.

The first was way back in 1994. In just the second ever playoff appearance for the Rebels, with current Lethbridge GM Peter Anholt behind their bench, the Hurricanes claimed the best-of-five opening round affair three games to one.

However, the lone win for the Rebels provided the most memorable moment of the series as goalie Jason Clague was credited with the game winning goal. To this date, it’s the only time in WHL history that a goaltender has scored a game winning goal in the playoffs.

The next post-season matchup between the Rebels and Hurricanes would come three years later in 1997.

An exciting Rebels club featuring the likes of B.J. Young, Arron Asham, Jon Zukiwsky, Terry Ryan, Lance Ward and Brad Leeb made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final where they met the league-best Hurricanes led by Byron Ritchie, Travis Brigley, Bryce Salvador and Chris Phillips.

The Rebels were no match for the eventual league champion Hurricanes, losing the series four games to one. But the season brought Red Deer its first taste of WHL playoff success.

Roles were reversed in 2001 when the league-best Rebels won their opening round series over Lethbridge four games to one. The Rebels won four straight after dropping the series opener in overtime. Justin Mapletoft scored three game winning goals in the series as Red Deer went on to win the Memorial Cup.

In 2002, the Rebels and Hurricanes again met in the opening round. This time, the Rebels swept the series four games to none.

Then fast forward to last year for the most eventful series between the Rebels and Hurricanes to date.

The Rebels, a year removed from hosting the Mastercard Memorial Cup, finished 22 points behind the high flying Hurricanes in the regular season standings. But the drastic disparity meant little come playoff time.

Red Deer stormed out to a 3-1 lead in the series, highlighted by Evan Polei’s winning goal 48 seconds into the second overtime period of game three, putting them on the verge of a huge upset.

However, the Hurricanes came all the way back to claim the series, winning games five through seven by scores of 5-3, 4-1 and 6-2.

The latest playoff series between the Hurricanes and Rebels gets underway Friday night in Lethbridge (7 p.m. on 106.7 The Drive).