The Calgary Crusaders came out flying on home ice, dictating the pace early and peppering Rebels netminder Krosby Boissoneault with nine first-period shots. Their pressure paid off just past the midway mark when Porter Rhynold, assisted by TJ Terlesky and Dustin Cabana, found the back of the net to give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead. The period saw a flurry of penalties, including a trip by Calgary's Wilfred Mitchell and a bench minor against the Rebels, but the score held through the opening frame.
The second period was a wild back-and-forth affair dominated by special teams. The Rebels struck quickly to tie the game, with Mateo Jim scoring an even-strength goal just 12 seconds into the period. Then, in a stunning turn, Cody Vanberg capitalized on a shorthanded opportunity to give the Rebels a 2-1 lead. Calgary's power play responded, however, as Parker Terlesky, set up by the goal-scorer Rhynold, buried a chance to knot the game at 2-2. The Crusaders poured on 18 shots in the period, but Boissoneault stood tall, and a parade of penalties against the Rebels kept the game in a chaotic state.
The third period belonged entirely to the visitors. Despite being outshot 10-13 in the final frame, the Rebels made their chances count. Emmett Brown broke the deadlock with the game-winning goal, assisted by Vanberg, to make it 3-2. Just thirty seconds later, Chase Cameron, with a helper from Blake Jones, provided a crucial insurance marker to extend the lead to 4-2. The Crusaders, who finished with a 37-30 shot advantage, could not solve Boissoneault again, as the Rebels goalie turned aside all 10 third-period shots to seal a 4-2 victory. The story of the night was the Rebels' opportunistic scoring, highlighted by Vanberg's shorthanded tally and two assists, and the clutch goaltending of Boissoneault who weathered a heavy storm from the Calgary attack.
