(Red Deer, AB) It certainly started better than it finished.
The Rebels scored two quick goals once the puck was dropped on the 23rd game of the 2018-19 season.
First, a hard working Arshdeep Bains found the puck and Mads Sogaard behind the Tigers net. Bains was able to position himself in front of Sogaard and squeeze the puck out front to Josh Tarzwell. His shot found pay dirt before Sogaard to get himself set back in front of the net.
Less than two and a half minutes later, it was Bains’ turn to score. Tarzwell set up Bains while they were breaking into the Tigers zone and the shot beat Sogaard. It was just the third Rebel shot of the game.
Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston decided he had seen enough and asked for a timeout. The 30 second timeout was the best move the team had made to this point of the night. It was meant to stem the tide of momentum the Rebels had built up.
It worked.
Bryan Lockner made it 2-1 less than a minute after the timeout was call. Lockner got the puck in tight on a pass from Nassen who was streaking down the wing. All Lockner had to do was tip it by Anders to cut the lead in half.
The Rebels took a timeout of their own following the Tigers goal.
“That first goal, I mean the goalie has to make that save for you, I took the time out cause I thought that Andy needed to refocus but he just wasn’t sharp the rest of the night.” said head coach Brent Sutter post-game about where the momentum shifted.
Medicine Hat didn’t let up either. They continued to press the Rebels, looking to tie things up before the intermission and re-start the game with 40 minutes to play.
The Tigers got what they earned. With a little over five minutes to play in period one. Dawson Barteaux blew a tire at the Rebels blue line and it gave the Tigers a 2-on-1 towards Anders. Despite a great diving attempt by Carson Sass, James Hamblin’s pass made it through Sass to Josh Williams and he beat Anders to tie the game at two. The teams were also deadlocked at nine shots a piece through 20 minutes.
Early in the second period, it looked like the Rebels might be able to pull away from the Tigers.
As Zaytsev stepped out of the penalty box with 14 minutes left in the second period, he created a turnover which led to a short breakaway for Chris Douglas. He barely was able to contain the puck and then somehow beat Sogaard for his sixth goal of the season.
A Rebel power play spent the entire two minutes in the Tigers end but could not extend their lead. This gave Medicine Hat some momentum back and they didn’t waste any time following their penalty kill to even the score at three.
Another giveaway in the Rebels end led to a Tigers goal.
Carson Sass couldn’t get the puck up the ice and Tyler Preziuso was the recipient of the giveaway. He managed to flip the puck past Anders.
A bad line change following a Rebel penalty lead to a Tigers three-on-two. Lockner wasted no time in one timing a pass from Cole Clayton to give the Tigers their first lead of the evening, it was Lockner’s second of the night.
The Tigers fifth goal was the result of a questionable tripping penalty to Brandon Hagel. 12 seconds in, James Hamblin received a pass at the top of the circle from Ryan Jevne and his wrist shot sailed into the top corner behind Anders. The fifth goal was the catalyst for the end of Anders’ night.
Byron Fancy replaced Anders at the start of the third period. It was his first game action since November 11th against the Swift Current Broncos.
“That’s why I put Byron in the third, let Andy (Anders) get a rest and a break and get him ready for Tuesday, just one of those nights the goalie is not going to be razor sharp every night that stuff happens.” commented Sutter when speaking about Anders night on the whole.
The goal change did not have the desired effect. Despite playing much of the first seven minutes in the Tigers end of the ice, another turnover would cost the Rebels dearly.
Deep in the Rebels zone Sass was stripped of the puck by Tyler Preziuso and with 12 and a half minutes left in the game the Tiger forward extended the lead to three goals.
Finally, with four players in the penalty box for various infractions, the Tigers would once again add to their lead. Trevor Longo’s second goal of the season made it 7-3 Medicine Hat.
It was only the second loss on home ice for the Rebels this season.
Despite the lopsided loss, Sutter was not upset with the team, “It’s not like I am leaving here really disappointed in our group. I thought we competed and did some really good things.”
“I thought we controlled things in the offensive zone but just the blatant mistakes that we made managing pucks. When you play a team that has skilled forwards they are going to burn you. They did tonight. Probably an off night for our goalie. He never played as well as we need him playing,” added Sutter
Rebel Yell…The three stars of the night went to Bryan Lockner, Tyler Prezuiso and Josh Tarzwell. The Rebels top line of Hagel, de Wit and Johnson was held pointless. Dylan MacPherson led the Tigers with four shots on net while Hagel had six for the Rebels. Final shots were 33-28 for the Tigers.
Red Deer will now have two days off before heading into a five games in six nights stretch, starting with Prince Albert in town on Tuesday night. The team then heads to Medicine Hat for a Wednesday night tilt. The team then plays Friday at home against Calgary, Saturday at home versus Moose Jaw and away against Lethbridge on Sunday.
