Moose Jaw-born goalie Grant Naherniak made 27 saves for the Red Deer Rebels to win his first WHL game — a 4-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday.
The loss was the Warriors’ third straight. They will look to snap their streak Sunday in Lethbridge.
The Warriors came back to tie the game on three separate occasions, but Mathew Dumba broke the 3-3 tie with a short-handed goal for the Rebels with 1:37 left.
Turner Elson scored the only goal of the first period for Red Deer before Moose Jaw’s Tanner Eberle and Tyson Ness of the Rebels traded goals.
The Warriors tied the game early in the third period when Justin Kirsch netted his 13th of the season on the power play.
Dominik Volek restored the Red Deer lead with his third goal in six games.
Jordan Messier tied the game for the Warriors with a power play goal with 2:07 left before Dumba struck a mere 30 seconds later on a different Warriors power play.
Naherniak plays for the Moose Jaw Generals and is filling in with the Rebels while Patrik Bartosak is playing with the Czech Republic at the world juniors.
Naherniak is 1-1 with a 3.78 goals-against average in three appearances with the Rebels.
Sam Fioretti added a pair of assists for the Warriors and Eberle also finished with two points.
Justin Paulic made 29 saves for the Warriors in the loss.
