Matthew Gard is quickly becoming a household name for the Red Deer Rebels.
The 17-year-old, draft-eligible forward notched a hat trick Tuesday at home in a 4-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings and is up to 16 goals and 33 assists in 58 games. It was Gard's first career WHL hat trick.
Gard opened the scoring on the power play midway through the first, before Jhett Larson added his ninth of the year early in the second to make it 2-0. Caleb Hadland got the Wheat Kings within one and Joby Baumuller tied the game with 1:27 left in the frame.
Gard scored his second of the night on the power play again at 11:53 of the third and buried the hat trick tally just 2:20 later.
Sylvan Lake's Talon Brigley added three assists on the night and was named second star for his efforts. Brigley has nine goals, 27 assists in 58 games this year.
Peyton Shore made 22 saves in the victory for Red Deer, while Wheat Kings goalie Ethan Eskit made 32 saves.
Red Deer was four-for-five on the power play, while killing off all four Brandon power plays.
Red Deer is now 24-28-5-2 on the season and sits ninth in the Eastern Conference, with nine games left in the year. They are nine points back of the Swift Current Broncos for the final playoff spot in the conference.
The Rebels will host the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. at the Centrium.
