The Red Deer Rebels came back from a two-goal, third-period deficit to defeat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday night at the Enmax Centrium.

T-Birds are 1-2-0-0 on their six-game road trip through the Central Division. They play the Edmonton Oil Kings at 6 p.m. Wednesday and finish out the trip on Friday against the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Saturday against the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Red Deer (12-5-0-0) took a 1-0 lead at 13:47 of the first period.

Seattle (9-4-1-0) tied the game 1-1 with 2:45 left in the first period. Nick Holowko knocked down a Rebels pass in the left circle. Holowko slid the puck to Gustav Olhaver at the bottom of the circle to put him in alone against Red Deer goalie Rylan Toth. Olhaver beat Toth through the legs, while getting high sticked, to get his second goal of the season.

The T-Birds went on the power play after Olhaver’s goal but were not able to convert on the man advantage.

Red Deer outshot Seattle 9-8 in an evenly played first period.

The T-Birds took a 2-1 lead 1:18 into the second period.

Holowko converted a pass from Mathew Barzal at 18:43 of the second to give the T-Birds a 3-1 lead. Barzal skating back and forth behind the Red Deer net keeping the puck away from the Rebels. Barzal came out at the left post and found Holowko in the slot. Holowko beat Toth low for the goal.

Seattle outshot Red Deer 14-5 in the second period and led 22-14 in total shots after two periods.

Conner Bleackley started the comeback for the Rebels at 7:34 of the third period when he scored a power-play goal from the right circle.

The Rebels tied the game 3-3 at 13:10 of the third when Evan Polei scored an unassisted goal.

Red Deer scored the game-winning goal at 16:52 of the third. Ivan Nikolishin skated from the right circle, through the slot and around the T-Birds defense and hit the net from the left circle. Adam Musil and Kayle Doetzel had the assists.

Red Deer outshot Seattle 9-4 in the third period but the T-Birds finished with a 26-23 advantage in total shots.

Burman had 19 saves on 23 shots and his record is now 4-3-0-0.

Toth made 23 saves on 26 shots and his record is now 8-4-0-0.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Red Deer, Fleury 4 (Nikolishin, Bleackley), 13:47. 2, Seattle, Olhaver 2 (Holowko), 17:15. Penalties – Osterman, Sea (boarding), 8:12. Doetzel, Red (tripping), 11:21. Strand, Red (high-sticking), 17:15.

Second period – 3, Seattle, True 6 (Neuls, E. Bear), 1:18. 4, Seattle, Holowko 2 (Barzal), 18:43. Penalties – Barzal, Sea (slashing), 7:24. Bleackley, Red (high-sticking), 7:37. Fleury, Red (slashing), 14:44. Barzal, Sea (slashing), 14:44.

Third period – 5, Red Deer, Bleackley 2 (Pawlenchuk, Nikolishin), 7:34 (pp). 6, Red Deer, Polei 7, 13:10. 7, Red Deer, Nikolishin 11 (Musil, Doetzel), 16:52. Penalties – Hauf, Sea (major-fighting), :12. Doetzel, Red (major-fighting), :12. Bobyk, Red (roughing), 5:17.Gropp, Sea (holding opponents stick), 6:15. Johnson, Red (cross checking), 9:46.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-14-4 26, Red Deer 9-5-9 23. Goalies – Seattle, Burman 23 shots-19 saves (4-3-0-0); Red Deer, Toth 26-23 (8-4-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-5; Red Deer 1-3. A – 4,836. Referees – Jason Cramer, Chris Crich. Linesmen – Cody Huseby, Scott Sharun.