By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Rebels clawed by Tigers in final pre-season game

Sep 15, 2018 | 11:06 PM

It was far from the result the Red Deer Rebels wanted to close out their pre-season schedule, but a 3-0 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers is what they’ll have to take.

The Rebels finish their pre-season with a 1-2-2 record over five games. They scored 13 times in that span while allowing 21.

“We were pretty scrambly. Our youth showed on the back end,” said Head Coach Brent Sutter after the game Saturday night at the Enmax Centrium. “We had some opportunities we didn’t capitalize on. We’ve got a lot of work (to do) with this group. We’ve got to spend a lot of time with them and teach them the right way to play.”

Sutter was complimentary of guys who would’ve been considered the Rebels’ youth last season who have stepped into bigger roles and excelled during exhibition, naming players like 2001-borns Alex Morozoff and Arshdeep Bains.

On Saturday, Medicine Hat got on the scoreboard first, Dawson Heathcote notching his third of the pre-season at 11:36.

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A too many men minor against the Tigers gave Red Deer a chance late in the first to tie, but they could not take advantage even with half a minute remaining on the powerplay to begin the second.

Not much happened the rest of the middle frame until Medicine Hat doubled their lead at 16:33 as Gary Haden scored on the powerplay with Hunter Donohoe off for interference.

Arshdeep Bains was also given a 10 minute misconduct in the period for the increasingly common mouthguard violation.

In the third, Jeff De Wit was stopped about five minutes in on a clear cut breakaway.

Each team took a too many men penalty before Tyler Preziuso netted the insurance into an empty cage to make it 3-0.

Rebels goalie Ethan Anders stopped 42 of 44 shots. At the other end, Tigers netminder Garin Bjorklund saved 13 of 13 before coming out midway through the game. Mads Sogaard stopped the last 21 he faced from Red Deer.

Medicine Hat was 1/3 on the powerplay. Red Deer went 0/3. The final shots were 45-34 for Medicine Hat.

Next action for the Rebels is their season opener on Friday, Sept. 21 in Edmonton. 106.7 The Drive will carry the broadcast starting at 6:50 p.m. Puck drop is at 7.