(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Alessia Proietti

Final road game before Christmas

Rebels tame Tigers in 6-4 rollercoaster match

Dec 17, 2022 | 12:38 AM

In their final road game before the holidays, the Red Deer Rebels dominated the Medicine Hat Tigers 6-4 at Co-op Place Friday night, making it four straight wins for the Rebels.

In the first period, the Tigers’ Cayden Lindstrom was sent to the box for slashing, leaving a power play opportunity for the Rebels. From the right faceoff point, Red Deer’s Hunter Mayor scored his 12^th goal of the season to the high glove side of Tigers goaltender Evan May. Just before hitting the eighth minute of the game, the goal was assisted by Jace Weir and Craig Armstrong, bringing the Rebels to a 1-0 lead.

Before the end of the period, the Tigers tied the game 1-1 when Cayden Lindstrom scored his eighth goal this season on Rebels netminder Rhett Stoesser. Andrew Basha claimed the assist at 17:29.

After 20 minutes of play, the Rebels outshot the Tigers 16-6.

In the middle frame, the Rebels came in hot right out of the gate even though Ollie Josephson was given a penalty for hooking, leaving the team shorthanded. Nonetheless, with a pass by Red Deer’s Marek Schneider, Jayden Grubbe picked up the puck from the boards and in what seemed like a breakaway, Grubbe dodged around the Tigers’ defence with a 360 degree pass to Jace Isley, who scored his 16^th goal of the season and third shorthanded goal of the season. At just 2:23, this was also the Rebels’ fifth shorthanded goal this season, bringing the team back to a 2-1 lead.

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However, the Tigers evened the game again shortly afterwards at 3:07. While still on the power play, Oasiz Wiesblatt scored his 14^th goal of the season, assisted by Reid Anderson to make it a 2-2 tie.

The Tigers put themselves in a 3-2 lead just before the halfway mark of the second period, however, when Tyler MacKenzie scored his 11^th goal of the season at 9:40 with the assists from Cayden Lindstrom and Dallon Melin.

In the second period, the Rebels still outshot the Tigers 17-8.

The final period proved to be the most action packed for the Rebels. It began with Craig Armstrong seemingly scoring from the slot, however, was deemed a no goal by referees. Shortly after, the Rebels’ Dwayne Jean Jr. took a shot, later claiming the goal’s assist when Kai Uchacz scored on a rebound at 6:54. Right from the top of the crease, Uchacz’s 23^rd goal of the season brought the game to a 3-3 tie.

Neck and neck, the Tigers claimed the lead again at 14:17 when Brayden Boehm scored his 13^th goal of the season. Assisted by Pavel Bocharov and Shane Smith, the Tigers led 4-3.

Less than one minute later though, the Rebels’ Jhett Larson passed the puck to Frantisek Formanek who proceeded to score his sixth goal of the season. The game was even once again at 4-4.

Later, Red Deer’s Kai Uchacz would pass the puck to Jhett Larson, tapping it out of a scramble by the net and into an open area hwere Jace Isley swopped in, picking up the free puck to score his 17^th goal of the season from the slot at 16:39, putting the Rebels back in a 5-4 lead.

Then with just over two minutes left to go in the period, the Tigers pulled goaltender Evan May to add the extra attacker. May would go back in 35 seconds later but again be pulled at 18:38 as Medicine Hat tried to tie the game

However, with the Tigers net empty, the Rebels’ Craig Armstrong scored his fourth goal of the season, unassisted, on the empty net at 19:41.

In the final period, the Rebels still outshot the Tigers 17-10 and 50-24 overall.

The Rebels went 1/4 on the power play while the Tigers went 1/2 with the man advantage.

The Rebels’ Jayden Grubbe, who earned one assist on the night was named the game’s third star, while the Tigers were given the first two stars. Brett Calhoon earned the second star while goaltender Evan May received the first star.

The win means Red Deer maintains their first place standing in the WHL’s Central Division with a record of 22-5-1-3 while the loss brings the Tigers to fourth place with a record of 12-17-4-1.

The Rebels will play their final game before Christmas on Saturday night against the Swift Current Broncos on home ice at the Peavey Mart Centrium. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. with the broadcast live on 106.7 REWIND Radio.