Tigers 4
Rebels 2
There were no signs of rust early on from the Red Deer Rebels in their first game back from Christmas break.
But a costly roughing penalty gave the Tigers an early 2-1 lead on the powerplay in the third period. The Rebels tied it late but a goal shortly after and an empty netter sunk the surging Rebels.
Despite having their biggest crowd yet this season with 6,023 fans in the Centrium, it felt like a game that escaped the Rebels’ hands. Red Deer also outshot Medicine Hat 34-19.
“We gave them powerplays and I didn’t like the one with 1.6 seconds [left in the second period]. It was unnecessary to take and then we gave them a free one,” said Rebels head coach Derrick Walser.
“You can’t give teams with that type of powerplay and firepower those looks. It came back to bite us.”
Despite outshooting the Tigers 11-5 in the first period, Medicine Hat scored the lone goal of the frame.
Defenceman Dru Krebs was left alone in front of the net with seven and a half minutes to go. He made no mistake and fired it past Rebels goaltender Rhett Stoesser in the top corner.
With 4:36 left in the second period, the Rebels got on the board on the powerplay. Defenceman Mats Lindgren hammered a shot from the blue line that beat the goaltender with traffic in front.
In the third period, the Rebels took a roughing penalty and the Tigers took advantage on the powerplay to lead 2-1. Forward Shane Smith buried an opportunity in front of the net off the pass from Andrew Basha.
“I thought we came out a little bit passive,” Walser continued.
“I thought in the second and the third when we got into our forecheck we were excellent. We can’t give teams free looks like that and it was an unnecessary penalty to take at a bad time. They capitalized and I thought we deserved a better fate tonight but it’s just another learning curve… We’ve just got to learn from it and push forward.”
With just under six minutes to go, rookie forward Jeramiah Roberts scored his first WHL to tie it at two. Forward Ollie Josephson passed it to Roberts who was left alone in front. He put his stick between his legs and fired it past the goalie for a potential goal-of-the-year candidate.
However, Just over a minute later Oasiz Wiesblatt put the Tigers back on top 3-2. The Rebels were awarded a powerplay late in the period but were unable to capitalize. Tigers Hayden Harsanyi added the empty net goal shortly after.
Rebels captain Kai Uchacz said it wasn’t the ideal start to the second half of the season they’d hoped for but thought his team’s effort was there.
“They’ve got a good group over there and they capitalize on their chances,” he said.
“We had a really good first and second in the defensive zone holding them to 11 shots but giving them a powerplay in the third they capitalized on it right off the faceoff… We can’t take that penalty in the third with a team like that with the offensive firepower that they have.”
With the loss, the Rebels remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings but are now nine points behind the Tigers who lead the central division with 46 points.
Red Deer will now hit the road beginning this Friday night in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes at 7 p.m.
