(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Ian Gustafson

7-3

McKenna leads Tigers to victory over Rebels

Mar 15, 2025 | 9:54 PM

The Red Deer Rebels went up against the Medicine Hat Tigers high-powered offence and struggled to slow them down falling 7-3 on the road at Co-op Place.

Phenom Gavin McKenna led the tabbies to victory with an impressive seven point performance, including three goals and four assists. Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt also added five points.

Meanwhile, the Rebels out shot the Tigers 31-26 and were led by Matthew Gard who scored a pair of goals.

To start the game there was a parade of goals on Saturday night in Medicine Hat with a combined five goals in the first period.

Defenceman Tanner Molendyk scored near the midway point of the opening period off the feed from McKenna.

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A little over five minutes later, the Rebels answered with a goal from Gard, who knocked in a rebound in front after Jake Missura threw the puck on net.

The Tigers then scored three straight goals before the end of the opening period, one of which was on the powerplay.

The first came from McKenna with under five minutes to go followed by a tally from Wiesblatt just over two minutes later.

McKenna then scored his second of the game on the powerplay with under a minute left in the first to lead 4-1.

In the second period, the offence didn’t slow down.

Rebels captain Ollie Josephson fired a wrist shot past goaltender Harrison Meneghin early in the period after a long pass from defenceman Jace Weir.

With around seven minutes left, McKenna scored to complete the hat trick and notch his 37th goal of the season.

Gard pulled his team within two goals of tying it later in the period after he tipped a Jaxon Fuder shot past the goalie.

The Tigers led 5-3 headed into the intermission following Gard’s second marker of the night.

In the third period, Wiesblatt sealed the deal on a Tigers victory with back-to-back goals on the powerplay.

Next up, the Rebels will head to Calgary on Wednesday to take on the Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome at 7 p.m.

Red Deer will them wrap up their season next weekend with a home game on Saturday against the Hitmen before heading to Edmonton on Sunday to face the Oil Kings.

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