By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Rebels stymied by Tigers in final game before Christmas

Dec 14, 2018 | 8:42 PM

The Canadian Hockey League lifted its ban on import goaltenders for the 2018-19 season and the Medicine Hat Tigers are reaping the benefits.

Danish netminder Mads Sogaard was nothing short of superb Friday night at the Enmax Centrium in making 49 saves in a 4-1 win over the Red Deer Rebels.

The Tigers are now 4-0 versus the Rebels this season. 

Chris Douglas opened the scoring for Red Deer 5:33 into period one when his one-timer shot, somewhat of a knuckler, eluded Sogaard for his 10th goal of the season.

Medicine Hat tied the game with a power play goal from Josh Williams on a one-timer of his own at 14:28. Williams, who scored his seventh goal of the year, will play in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Red Deer next month.

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James Hamblin gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead with a power play goal at the midway point of period two.

A little over six minutes later, Rebels defenceman Alexander Alexeyev – back in the lineup after leaving early in Tuesday’s win over Kamloops with an injury – went down in front of the Rebels net after being high-sticked in the face by a Tigers player. The play went unnoticed by the officials and Williams struck moments later for his second goal of the game, yet another power play marker, for a 3-1 Medicine Hat lead through 40 minutes.

The Rebels threw everything they had at Sogaard in the third period but were unable to solve the six-foot-seven Dane. Bryan Lockner rounded out the scoring with an empty net goal for Medicine Hat with 22 seconds remaining.

Power plays were the other big story in this game as the Tigers were 3/3, improving to 8/15 versus the Red Deer this season, while the Rebels were 0/2. The Rebels outshot Medicine Hat 50-38 on the night.

The Rebels return to action in two weeks when they welcome the B.C. Division leading Vancouver Giants to the Enmax Centrium on Friday, December 28. Game time is 7 p.m. (106.7 THE DRIVE).