4 GOAL THIRD PERIOD LIFTS TIGERS OVER REBELS
Red Deer, AB — The boys are rolling. The Tigers came into the night winners of their last 4 games facing division rival Red Deer Rebels on Friday night before kicking off a 5 game home stand Saturday. The game was a tough one for the Tabbies as pucks didn’t seem to go their way, bouncing over sticks and chances squandered. More importantly was the Rebels ability to block shots through the first two periods. The Tigers threw minimum 40 shots at the Rebels goal but still couldn’t find the back of the net too often.
The Tigers however were able to get on the board first as David Quenneville potted home a loose puck at the side of the net after Zach Fischer was stopped in tight. The goal came on the power play, which seemed to click on a regular basis over the course of the night. Red Deer would get on the board before the end of the period as Michael Spacek scored his 1st of the season as he found a loose puck and put it past Nick Schneider who was making his 5th consecutive start. The buzzer would sound all tied up at 1 as the Tigers were outshot, just their 2nd period that the opposing team had more shots than the Tigers.
Spacek would be a thorn in the Tigers side in the second period as he would score his second of the night with a wrist shot that fooled Schneider, the puck tipped off his glove and trickled past the netminder for a 2-1 lead. Just past the midway point of the frame the red hot Mark Rassell was sprung on a breakaway by Ty Schultz and the 19 year old from Calgary would pot his 5th of the year five hole past rookie Riley Lamb tying the game at 2. The lead wouldn’t last as Evan Polei was left alone in front of the net and tipped a point shot from Colton Bobyk to give the home side a 3-2 lead. Red Deer would hold onto the lead despite a couple power plays by the Tigers.
Penalties were the focal point of the final frame especially for the power play unit for the Tabbies. Chad Butcher got the comeback started with his 2nd of the season with the extra skater. Butcher finished off a set play by the Tigers as he wristed a shot past Lamb who was screened by a defender tying the game up at 3. On the same power play David Quenneville blasted home his 2nd of the night, giving the Tigers a 4-3 lead. The power play struck once again in the period as the goal was given to Quennevlle, which looked to be tipped in by Zach Fischer but was credited to the defenseman. The two goal lead is said to be the worst lead in hockey but the Tigers, along with Nick Schneider held off the Rebels attack. Mason Shaw would end the game with one more goal before the final buzzer, adding salt to the wound in a 6-3 victory.
TIGERS STAT LINES:
- Mason Shaw – 1G, 2A
- Steven Owre – 3A
- David Quenneville – 3G
- Chad Butcher 1G, 3A
- Mark Rassell – 1G
- Zach Fischer – 1A
- Ty Schultz – 1A
- James Hamblin – 1A
THREE STARS OF THE GAME:
- Nick Schneider – MH – 37 saves, W
- David Quenneville – MH – 3G
- Michael Spacek – 2G
The Tigers will head home to host the Kamloops Blazers to start a 5 game home stand. Puck drop is 7:30pm at the Canalta Centre.
