By Jeff D'Andrea

Parenteau goes back to where it all started

Feb 3, 2015 | 6:27 AM

Every time Rylan Parenteau goes to the ENMAX Centrium in Red Deer, it brings him back to where his WHL career officially started.

Back on Nov. 8, 2012 as a 16-year-old call-up, Parenteau appeared in his first-ever WHL game at the Centrium against the Red Deer Rebels. Parenteau took over from then-starting goaltender Luke Siemens for the final 8:54 of a 5-1 loss.

Parenteau’s first WHL career start was also against the Red Deer Rebels, Jan. 22, 2014 at the Art Hauser Centre in a 5-0 loss.

But in Parenteau’s first trip back to Red Deer since his debut, he made good on it and came up with a scrappy 6-5 shootout win over the Rebels.

“It was definitely in the back of my mind,” said Parenteau, who made 32 saves in 65 minutes and stopped both shootout attempts against him. “I realized before the game I hadn’t won a game against Red Deer before, so I definitely wanted that one.

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“It definitely felt good to pull out the shootout win there.”

As Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid would say, Saturday’s contest was far from a Picasso from the Raiders or Parenteau, but they eventually got the job done.

Parenteau has shown the ability to take over a game and virtually be a brick wall at times. But even when he’s not, Parenteau will scrap and claw.

“He just battles and competes. Every day is a new day whether he has a first star or has a tough night,” said Habscheid. “He really gives it his all. He’s a real good kid and he battles.

“He’s a mentally tough guy who can rebound, so he’s been real good for us and real consistent for us.”

South Sask. trip

The Raiders will head down south Tuesday and Wednesday to play two divisional rivals, the Regina Pats and the Moose Jaw Warriors.

After Wednesday, the Raiders will play four of their next five games at home, starting Friday against the Swift Current Broncos and Saturday against the Calgary Hitmen.

The Raiders are chasing the Broncos for the third spot in the WHL East Division to get into the playoffs. They are eight points back of the Broncos, but play them five more times this season.

“Those points mean a lot right now,” said Raiders forward Sean Montgomery. “Three of those games are against divisional rivals and see if we can’t get six points out of that.”

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea