The Red Deer Rebels fell to the red-hot Medicine Hat Tigers by a score of 7-4 on Sunday, December 28, in a thrilling back-to-back matchup at Co-op Place during the Tigers’ Be A Superhero Night presented by Remax Canada. The Tigers, donning special superhero jerseys (with proceeds from their auction benefiting the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation) and capes during warmups, lived up to their high-flying theme by exploding for five goals in the second period alone.After Liam Ruck opened the scoring on the power play early in the first, the Rebels responded with two straight tallies to take a brief 2-1 lead—their only advantage of the game. Medicine Hat flipped the script from there, rattling off six of the next seven goals to secure the convincing victory. A standout four-point performance from forward Yaroslav Bryzgalov powered the Tigers’ offence, while 13 of their 18 skaters recorded at least one point. Defenceman Bryce Pickford also found the back of the net, tying the game at 2-2 and extending his impressive goal streak to eight straight games.For the Rebels, Landon MacSwain, Talon Brigley, Matej Mikes, and Poul Andersen provided the offence in the loss. This setback extends Red Deer’s skid to seven straight defeats since their last win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on December 3, dropping their record to 10-18-2-2. Meanwhile, the Tigers extended their winning streak to 12 games in a row.The Rebels will look to turn things around and flip the script when they host the Tigers again on Tuesday for the rematch in Red Deer.
Liam Ruck opened up the scoring for the Tigers at 4:39 of the first period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Jonas Woo and Markus Ruck.–The Tigers had the home crowd roaring early with a goal at 4:39 in the first period. Liam Ruck passed to Jonas Woo who gave it right back to Ruck for one-timer from the point on the power play. Ruck found the back of the net for his 16th goal of the season, and his brother Markus Ruck picked up the secondary assist on the goal.
Landon MacSwain tied the game up for the Rebels with his 10th goal of the season at 10:54 of the first period with the helpers on the goal going to Patrick Sopriaz and Noah Milfrod.–Landon MacSwain brought things level by poking a loose puck past Tigers goaltender Carter Casey midway through the period.
Shots on goal in the first period were 12-6 for the Tigers
Talon Brigley stripped the puck at the blueline and fired in and bolted down and fired in his 11th goal of the season at 3:33 of the second period.–Talon Brigley set the tone early, charging hard to the net and using his strength to power through the Tigers’ defense. Hauled down in the process, Brigley still managed to flip the puck top shelf, giving the Rebels the lead and igniting the bench.
Bryce Pickford who in my mind is the biggest snub from the world junior team this year, made it a 2-2 game on the Power Play scoring his 27th goal of the season at 7:09 of the second frame. The assists on the goal went to Liam Ruck and Cochrane, Alberta native Kadon McCann.–Medicine Hat continued to utilize their stellar special teams with a power play goal from Bryce Pickford at 7:09 to tie the game 2-2. Liam Ruck traded places with Pickford at the point and sent a quick pass over for a one-timer from the Captain. Pickford was able to fire home the shot for his 27th of the season, the second most goals by a Tigers defenceman in a single season.
Rochester, Minnesota native Gavin Kor knotted his 3rd goal of the season to make it a 3-2 game for the Tigers at 9:02 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Brainerd, Minnesota natvie Kade Stengrim and Eagan, Minnesota native Kyle Heger.–The Tigers took the lead 9:02 into the second period with some help from our neighbours to the south. The all-american goal saw Kyle Heger and Kade Stengrim connect with Gavin Kor for his third of the year. Stengrim spun around for a surprise shot from the half wall and Kor picked up the rebound to connect with his fellow Minnesotans to make it 3-2 Tigers.
Former Calgary Canuck Carter Cunningham makes it a 4-2 game for the Tigers at 11:10 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Josh Van Mulligen and Yaroslav Bryzgalov.–The red hot Tigers continued pushing to expand their lead with a goal from Carter Cunningham at 11:10. Yaroslav Bryzgalov sent a shot off of the side of the net that was collected by Josh Van Mulligen who sent a centering pass to Cunningham who fired a one-timer for his sixth of the year.
Matej Mikes sccores for the Rebels at 13:15 of the second period with the assist on the goal going to Matthew Gard.–Matej Mikes sparked another push for Red Deer. Breaking into Tigers territory with speed, Mikes snapped a wrist shot past Casey to pull the Rebels back within one.
Josh Van Mulligen made it a 5-3 game for the Tigers at 14:07 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Yaroslav Bryzgalov and Misha Volotovskii.–Medicine Hat went right back to their old ways with another goal at 14:07 from Van Mulligen to make it 5-3 Tigers. Bryzgalov and Van Mulligen passed back and forth up high, eventually leading to a Van Mulligen one-timer from the point for the eventual game winner.
Ethan Neutens scored his 7th goal of the season to make the game 6-3 at 18:02 of the second period. The helpers on the goal went to Yaroslav Bryzgalov and Miisha Volotovskii.–Ethan Neutens extended his goal streak to three games with his seventh of the year at 18:02 to make it 6-3 Tigers. Bryzgalov walked in and sent a backhand pass to Neutens down low off of a toe-drag around the Red Deer defender. Neutens fired a one-time shot from the goal line on a sharp angle to extend the Tigers lead.
Shots on goal in the second period were 12-10 for the Tigers
Yaroslav Bryzgalov scored for the Tigers to make it a 7-3 contest at 5:36 of the third period unassisted.-Bryzgalov capped off his four point night with an unassisted goal at 5:36 for his seventh of the season to make it 7-3 Tigers. Bryzgalov picked up a turnover after a check from Neutens banged the puck loose. Bryzgalov collected the puck in the slot and deked to the backhand for Medicine Hat’s final tally of the night.
Poul Andersen scored his first goal as a Rebel and 12th of the season at 18:04 of the third period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Noah Milford and Keith McInnis. I am also going to have to go into the tags eventually and fix the spelling of Andersen’s name. I spelt it numerous different ways when he played in Sherwood Park
Shots on goal in the third period were tied at 6. The Tigers outshot the Rebels in the game 31-22
Grand Rapids, Minnesota native Carter Casey made 18 of 22 shots that he faced for the win for the Tigers. For the Rebels Peyton Shore made 24 saves on the 31 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Yaroslavl Bryzgalov 2) Josh Van Mulligen 3) Liam Ruck
Attendance in Medicine Hat 5001
Rebels next game is Tuesday December 30th in Red Deer against the Medicine Hat Tigers
