The Red Deer Rebels bounced back in a big way Saturday night.
After dropping a matchup to the Kamloops Blazers on Friday forward Kai Uchacz scored in overtime in Medicine Hat to beat the Tigers 5-4.
It was his second of the game and his 43rd tally of the season. Uchacz is now eight goals behind the Regina Pats Connor Bedard for the Western Hockey League lead in goals.
Defenceman Hunter Mayo opened the scoring for the Rebels midway through the first period on the powerplay. Mayo’s 15th of the year was the lone goal of the opening frame.
Medicine Hat scored three straight within six minutes of each other to take a commanding 3-1 lead at the midway point of the middle period. Shane Smith, Cayden Lindstrom, and Brendan Lee all scored.
However, Red Deer answered back with a trio of goals themselves. The fury came after Tigers forward Oasiz Wiesblatt went to the box for a game misconduct for charging.
The first came at the 15-minute mark scored by Uchacz on the powerplay and defenceman Mats Lindgren added another on the man advantage just under two minutes later to end the period tied 3-3.
Over a minute into the final period, Frantisek Formanek reclaimed the lead to go up 4-3. The tally marked Red Deer’s fourth powerplay goal of the evening.
The Tigers got the equalizer just a few minutes later but no one else found the back of the net for the rest of the period.
During three-on-three overtime Uchacz was sprung on a breakaway just over three minutes in to win the game.
The Rebels and Tigers will play again Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Peavey Mart Centrium.