WHL Goalie of the month. Has nice ring to it, especially when your team has gone through 13 and 11 game losing streaks this season.
Riley Lamb was the recipient of the February honor this past Thursday.
He was put to the test on Friday in a match up with the Kootenay Ice and pulled out a 27 save performance and three more saves in the shootout.
The Medicine Hat Tigers though are no Kootenay Ice. The Tigers had points in five straight games heading into this one and were looking to continue holding off the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the Central Division title.
Relying on Lamb to pick up his 10th straight win was too much on this night. The Medicine Hat Tigers would put 30 shots on Lamb through 33 minutes and 28 seconds of action. Head Coach Brent Sutter pulled him mercifully after the fourth Tigers goal was scored on the Rebels.
The Rebels headed into this game with a 46.42 estimated fenwick close. What this means is that Red Deer only held possession for about 46.5% of the time. For a potential playoff team, this is not a good stat.
Tonight would not be any better as the Rebels were out shot 54-18.
It would be the Tigers jumping out to an early first period lead on the Rebels.
The WHL’s defenseman leading scorer, David Quenneville would hammer a point shot wide of the Rebel net. The puck would carom off the boards and the back of Lamb before laying in the crease. With a wide open net, Gary Haden crashed in and poked the puck beyond the goal line. His 16th goal of the season would come just two minutes and four seconds into the opening period.
Medicine Hat would test Lamb often in the opening frame, putting 18 shots through to the goalie. Two undisciplined penalties by the Rebels helped contribute to the shot totals. Red Deer would manage just seven shots on Michael Bullion.
The Rebels penalty kill would be the lone bright spot on the night as the Tigers would go 0-for-4 with the man-advantage.
Period two would start off much the same as the first for the two Central Division teams. After a relentless forecheck by the Tigers that lasted most of the first two minutes of the period, the Rebels would clear the zone.
Right after their attempt at rushing down the ice, Red Deer would find itself back in its own end of the ice. Medicine Hat would fight for a puck in the corner and it would be Hayden Ostir walking out and wristing a shot cleanly past Lamb to give the Tigers a two goal advantage.
The wheels would come off just past the half way mark of the second period for Red Deer. A high-sticking penalty to Quenneville would give Red Deer their first man-advantage of the evening.
It was Medicine Hat that would extend their lead when a Rebels pass was made too lightly to the point. Ryan Jevne would steal the puck, have a 130 foot breakaway and make it count. His high glove side shot would beat Lamb to make it 3-0 Tigers. The play only took eight seconds off the penalty kill for the Tigers but they would manage to keep the puck out of their net with solid fore-checking on the penalty kill.
Exactly two minutes later the Tigers would make it a 4-0 game. As David Quenneville stepped out of the box the Tigers were dumping the puck down the ice. Lamb went to play the puck and he got himself caught on the boards and the puck squirted to Quenneville behind the net. It was too late for Lamb to recover as the pass was made to the slot area. Haden would score his second of the night.
That was all for Lamb in this one. He made 26 saves on 30 shots.
Before the period was done the Rebels fourth line would give the team some life. On a face off deep in Tigers territory, Alex Morozoff would win and the puck would head to Jordan Borysiuk. While he was being taken down, he slid the puck to Hunter Donohoe at the point. Donohoe’s wrist shot was a floater and it handcuffed Bullion. The Rebels would climb to within three on Donohoe’s third of the season. Borysiuk would pick up his first WHL point on the goal.
Ethan Anders would make his way back into the Rebel net for the third period and would play well until the final two minutes of the period were counting down.
With 1:40 to play James Hamblin would stop any attempt at a late Rebels rally. Mark Rassell’s shot toward the net was tipped in front by Hamblin just below the cross-bar. His 19th goal of the season would restore the four goal lead for the Tigers.
Just five seconds later Ryan Jevne would score his second goal of the night. Kristian Reichel’s faceoff win would result in a poor defensive play at the blueline. Ryan Chyzowski would swat the puck onto Jevne’s stick and he would tuck a wicked shot right under the cross bar. That would be the last goal of the game and give the Tigers a 6-1 victory over the visiting Rebels.
Rebel Yell… The three stars would be a Tigers sweep 1) Gary Haden (2g) 2) Ryan Jevne (2g, 1 shg) 3) Hayden Ostir (gwg). Gary Haden led all players with 8 shots on net. Kristian Reichel had 4 for the Rebels. Reichel was also the best Rebel in the face off dot. He was 10-of-17. Jaeger White was 8-of-10 for the Tigers. Michael Bullion made 17 saves in the win. Red Deer moves onto Calgary to take on the Hitmen Sunday afternoon at 4pm. Medicine Hat’s next action comes in Cranbrook, BC as the Tigers take on the Kootenay Ice at 4pm on Sunday as well.
