Hitmen snap Rebels' five-game winning streak with 7-3 win
Carter Sanderson's hat trick powered Calgary to victory at the Saddledome despite Red Deer outshooting the Hitmen 37-24.
The Red Deer Rebels' five-game winning streak ended Saturday with a 7-3 loss to the Calgary Hitmen at the Saddledome, despite outshooting their Central Division rivals 37-24. WHL goal-scoring leader Carter Sanderson had a hat trick for Calgary, while Calder Hamilton added two goals.
Calgary jumped ahead with two goals in the first eight minutes from Grady Anaka and Hunter Aura. Red Deer forward Grayden Peterson, playing in his first multi-goal WHL game, scored on the power play to cut the deficit before the Hitmen pulled away with three unanswered second-period goals from Hamilton and Sanderson for a 5-1 lead.
In the third period, Red Deer rallied with power-play goals from Captain Beckett Hamilton and Peterson, who scored on a rebound of his own shot. Calgary sealed the win with an empty-net goal from Sanderson and another from Calder Hamilton. Rebels goaltender Nathan Salisbury made 17 saves on 23 shots, while Hitmen netminder Aidan Hesse stopped 36 of 39 shots.
Despite the loss, Red Deer remains atop the Central Division standings with a 7-3-0-1 record, five points ahead of second-place Calgary. The Rebels host the Penticton Vees on Oct. 23 and the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Oct. 24 at the Centrium.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.