Tigers Trounce Rebels
The Red Deer Rebels let one slip away Tuesday night at the Enmax Centrium, and allowed the Medicine Hat Tigers to crawl 2 points closer to Red Deer in the tight Central Division race.
While they controlled the majority of the first period, the home squad needed a late tally from Byron Froese for the 1-0 lead after one period. Shots were 16-7 Red Deer after 20 minutes.
The second period would prove to be a tight checking affair, with neither team giving up much in the way of high quality scoring chances. There would be no scoring in the period, and the shots favored the Tigers 13-12.
However the tide would change in the third, as the Rebels would be caught flat footed on numerous occasions, allowing the Tigers to get back in the game. A hooking penalty to Colin Archer would provide the spark, as Kellan Tochkin would bank one in off a Rebel, through the pads of Darcy Kuemper, and the game was tied at one. Cole Grbavac pounced on a puck that slid by Darcy Kuemper, and suddenly Red Deer was down 2-1 with just over 6 minutes remaining. An odd man rush on the powerplay by the Tigers would result in an Emerson Etem wristshot past Kuemper, making the final score 3-1. Shots were 17-10 for Medicine Hat in the third.
Next action for Red Deer is a home date with the Calgary Hitmen on Friday night (7:30). The team will travel to Lethbridge on Saturday, before returning home to face the Prince George Cougars on Sunday (6:00).
