TIGERS FALL TO REBELS FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON
Red Deer, AB – Jhett Larson’s hat-trick goal late in the third period was enough to sink the Medicine Hat Tigers as the Red Deer Rebels were able to defeat the Tigers for the first time this season 5-3 on Friday night.
The first period saw the Tigers give up the first goal for the second consecutive game against Red Deer as on the power play, Jhett Larson scooped up a rebound beating Tigers starter Evan May (Nanaimo, BC) to make 1-0 Rebels at 5:29. The Tigers would respond at 10:57 as Oasiz Wiesblatt (Calgary, AB) would beat Rhett Stoesser far side for his 14th of the season from Reid Andresen (Saskatoon, SK). The Rebels would come back late in the first as Carson Birnie would make it 2-1 solving May to give the Rebels the lead heading to the 2nd at 15:12.
In the second as the Tigers would start with a short 5 on 3 power play as Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, YT) would shelf his 13th of the season from Evan May just 15 seconds into the 2nd for a 2-2 draw. But the Rebels would take the lead once again as Jhett Larson would get his second of the night at 6:01 to make it 3-2. Medicine Hat would take some time to take momentum back and Kadon McCann (Cochrane, AB) would be in the right place at the right time as he would beat Stoesser in tight for his 7th of the season to push the game to 3-3. Reid Andresen would get his second point of the night as it would be all square heading to the third period.
In the third period in a tight defensive lock both teams looked for opportunities to take the lead but it wouldn’t be till 13:31 as Jhett Larson would complete his hat-trick goal at 13:31 to give the Rebels the 4-3 lead. With the Tigers trying to get the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, the Rebels would counter in transition and Carson Birnie would finish off a passing play putting the game out of reach at 17:58.
With the loss the Tigers drop to 23-12-2 while the Rebels improve to 19-13-1-4.
Next up for the Tigers, a home match-up with the Tri City Americans Saturday night. It will be the first time the Tigers & Americans will play each other in Medicine Hat since February 2020.
You can get your tickets for the game HERE.
