Rebels 2
Tigers 1
It wasn't the Red Deer Rebels best game of the preseason but a win is a win.
In the final home game of the preseason, the Rebels scored twice in the third period to tame the Medicine Hat Tigers 2-1 on Friday night at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
Goaltender Rhett Stoesser stood on his head in net and made 27 saves on 28 shots to give the Rebels a shot to win the game.
His effort earned two thumbs up from head coach Dave Struch on a night when there wasn't much to be positive about.
"[There was] not a lot of good," Struch said. "Stoesser played really good for us. He gave us a chance right to the end and I think we took advantage of that... We didn't start on time and we didn't finish anything, [which are] two things we talk about and accomplish every day in our practices. We didn't do that tonight at all."
The Tigers got on the board first in the final three minutes of the second period when Liam Ruck buried an opportunity in front.
The Rebels got back in the game early in the third period off the stick of Jhett Larson who sniped a shorthanded goal from the slot into the top corner of the net.
Just over a minute later, Carson Birnie scored his first of the preseason after he knocked in the loose puck in the crease past Tigers goaltender Jordan Switzer.
The Tigers pulled their goalie in the final minutes of the game in an effort to find the equalizer but Stoesser stood tall in net and held on.
"We might've seen a young team across the way but that team was very well coached and they're good players. It's something we've addressed already and we're going to move on. Yes, we'll enjoy the win but we won't really enjoy the way we played."
Struch added that he thought his team worked hard but they didn't work smart. For example, he thought they took some selfish penalties, which will be addressed by Saturday's preseason finale in Edmonton.
"We talk about the team, depth, and how we're going to win hockey games this year. We're going to win games like this but not playing the way we did tonight," Struch said.
The Rebels will play the Oil Kings at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Morinville. They'll look to finish the preseason in a high note.
"We want to get back to playing the right way. You want to win the first game here like we did tonight but we're going to have more like this, it's reality. We know that but we just don't want that kind of game to creep in too often. We'll fix it and come out the right way tomorrow."
The Rebels will begin the regular season next Saturday, Sept. 21 in the home opener against the Lethbridge Hurricanes at 7 p.m. at the Centrium.
