Photo: Rob Wallator

By Kael Clark

Special Teams getting it done

Rebels claw their way past high-flying Tigers in 6-4 win

Dec 14, 2019 | 9:12 AM

An exceptional special teams performance got it done for the Rebels in a 6-4 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers Friday Night at the Westerner Park Centrium.

After killing off two early penalties against the number one powerplay team in the league, the Rebels were given their first powerplay opportunity. On that powerplay, Brett Davis fed an open Cam Haussinger cross-ice down low where he wripped a quick shot past goaltender Evan Fradette for a 1-0 Rebels lead.

Red Deer continued their special teams scoring, only this time they were shorthanded. Arshdeep Bains dangled his way to the net and finished with a beautiful backhand over the glove of Fradette to give the Rebels a 2-0 cushion in the second period.

Bains was not done there. Minutes later, the Rebels were on the penalty kill when Bains was alone in front of the Tigers net and was fed a nice pass from Ben King for shorthanded goal of the game to increase the lead to three.

Red Deer’s powerplay struck again halfway through the second period. Jayden Grubbe was joined by Josh Tarzwell on a 2-on-1 rush. Grubbe fed a nice backhand pass that Tarzwell batted out of mid-air and in for a comfortable 4-0 lead.

get in the car!

Maps for 2025 Red Deer Christmas Lights tour

48m ago

predictable taxation

Chamber calls Red Deer County's draft budget 'disciplined'

1h ago

firefighters union in support

City of Red Deer announces change in approach to dynamic staffing

1h ago

The Tarzwell line continued to do great things when Hausinger tipped home a nice pass across the crease to a wide open Grubbe, who put the puck home a shocking 5-0 Rebels lead.

The Tigers were hungry to start the third period. A missed shot came off the back of the boards and to the stick of Bryan Lockner where he finished it back door into the open net past Rebels goalie Byron Fancy.

Late in the third, Medicine Hat had a spark and was buzzing in the Red Deer zone. Corson Hopwo added another goal for the Tigers to make it 5-2.

Finally, the best powerplay in the league would break through and find the back of the net on their sixth chance of the night thanks to Brett Kempe’s snipe past Fancy to make things interesting.

Pressure continued in the Rebels zone and with a mad scramble in front of the net, the puck made its way onto the stick of the WHL’s leading point scorer, James Hamblin, who burried it past Fancy to make it 5-4.

With the goalie pulled once again, Red Deer got a break as Tarzwell flipped the puck high in the air for a hail marry pass to Davis that led him on a breakaway and an easy tap-in to seal the game, 6-4 Rebels.

“For 40 minutes it was right. We got a couple short-handed goals and the power play was good,” said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter. “The first two shifts of the third weren’t great where we had turnovers and got off our game plan and the whole period seemed that way.”

Sutter added, “It’s two points. It’s a win against a very good team and I hope it’s another lesson for our group.”

Red Deer was perfect on their powerplay going 2-for-2 on the man advantage. The top powerplay team in the league, Medicine Hat, went 1-for-6 on their opportunities.

Evan Fradette got his first ever WHL start with the Tigers after being called up from the Fort McMurray Oil Barrons of the AJHL. Fradette made 19 saves on 25 shots. Fancy stopped 39 of 43 shots for the Rebels.

The Rebels are back at home one more time on Saturday night before the long Christmas break as they welcome the Swift Current Broncos to town for the teddy bear, toque, mitt and sock toss game. Puck drop at the Westerner Park Centrium is set for 7 p.m. with the pre-game show beginning at 6:30 on 106.7 The Drive.