FINNIGAN GETS WINNER AS REBELS OUTLAST FLYERS IN DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE

LEDUC, Alta. – Jonathan Finnigan scored the eventual game-winner with 3:17 to go as the Red Deer Rebels kept their undefeated record intact at the 2012 TELUS Cup with a 2-1 win over the Moncton Flyers on Tuesday afternoon.

Finnigan’s shot was the Rebels’ 42^nd of the game, but just the second to beat Moncton netminder Nathan Armstrong, who sparkled in his first appearance of the tournament, making 41 saves.

Brady Bakke scored the other goal for Red Deer (1-0-1), which had another shutdown game defensively – one day after allowing the Saskatoon Contacts just 14 shots on goal, the Rebels held the Flyers to 20, with more than half of those coming in the second period.

Red Deer goaltender Matthew Zentner, making his first start since Feb. 12, wasn’t overly busy but made the big saves when he had to as the Rebels nursed a one-goal lead for 31 of the final 35 minutes.

Zack Smith’s goal for the Flyers spoiled Zentner’s shutout bid with just one second remaining in the third period, but a second consecutive one-goal loss keeps Moncton (0-2) winless.

The Rebels will look to stay undefeated when they face the host Leduc Oil Kings in an all-Alberta battle on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. MT), while the Flyers try again for their first win when they take on the unbeaten Phénix du Collège Esther-Blondin in Wednesday’s curtain raiser (12:30 p.m. MT).