It was a brutal way to cap what had otherwise been an exciting long weekend for the Red Deer Rebels, who were hammered 10-1 by the Medicine Hat Tigers at Co-op Place on Monday. The Tigers, still stinging from a pair of overtime losses, came out flying and built a commanding 4-0 lead just 6:20 into the first period before piling on even more. They made it 5-0 early in the second, and though the Rebels finally answered on the power play—birthday boy Talon Brigley pouncing on a puck Kalder Varga had banked off the end boards and sliding it past Jordan Switzer for Red Deer’s lone goal—the Tigers responded with three more power-play tallies in the middle frame and two in the third to seal the rout.Liam Ruck had himself a night, tying his career high with five points, while twin brother Markus chipped in four of his own. Noah Davidson and Kadon McCann each scored twice for Medicine Hat, with Kade Stengrim, Andrew Basha, Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll, and Cam Parr adding singles. Four of the Tigers’ goals came with the man advantage, as they converted on four of five opportunities. Red Deer went 1-for-3 on the power play.In net, Rebels goalie Shore turned aside 28 shots, while Switzer faced 23 at the other end. The loss drops Red Deer to 21-28-2-2 on the season, leaving them in eighth place in the WHL Eastern Conference—just one point behind the Regina Pats and one ahead of the Moose Jaw Warriors. Varga, meanwhile, extended his point streak to four straight games (and six of seven overall) with a helper. The Rebels were without Noah Chadi, Cole Temple (lower body), and Michael Mikan, who were scratched.The big scare of the afternoon came late in the second when Medicine Hat’s 20-year-old forward Ethan Neutens took a frightening hit from behind from Red Deer’s Kohen Lodge, driving him face-first into the boards. Neutens left the game and didn’t return, while Lodge was handed a game misconduct. The Tigers snapped their brief two-game skid in emphatic fashion, while Red Deer will look to shake off the lopsided defeat and regroup.
Kadon McCann made it a 1-0 game for the Tigers at 2:36 of the first period with the assist on the goal going to La Salle, Manitoba native Cam Parr.
Liam Ruck got his 33rd goal of the season to make it a 2-0 game for the Tigers at 3:26 of the first period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Markus Ruck and Jonas Woo.
Brainerd, Minnesota native Kade Stengrim makes it a 3-0 game at 4:02 of the first period with the assists on the goal going to Midway, Utah native Schaeffer Gordon-Carroll and Lethbridge, Alberta native Carter Cunningham.
Noah Davidson scored a beauty goal to make it 4-0 on an impossible angle at 6:20 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to Markus and Liam Ruck.
Shots on goal in the first period were 12-9 for the Tigers
Andrew Basha made it a 5-0 game for the Tigers at 11:37 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to Liam and Markus Ruck.
Talon Brigley got the Rebels on the board with a Power Play marker at 15:34 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Kalder Varga and Beckett Hamilton. It was Brigley’s 21st birthday also today.
Markus Ruck got his 15th goal of the season to make it a 6-1 game at 17:58 of the second period while the Tigers were on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Liam Ruck and Jonas Woo.
Noah Davidson got his second goal of the night to make it a 7-1 game at 18:55 of the second period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Andrew Basha and Liam Ruck.
Schaeffer Gordon-Carrol pushed it to an 8-1 game for the Tigers at 19:58 of the second period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Yaroslav Bryzgalov and Josh Van Mulligen.
Shots on goal in the second period were 13-8 for the Tigers
Kadon McCann scores at 9:21 of the third period with the assists on the goal going to Schaeffer Gordon-Carroll and Gavin Kor.
Cam Parr makes it a 10-1 game for the Tigers at 13:01 of the third period with the assists on the goal going to Schaeffer Gordon-Carroll and Carter Cunningham.
Shots on goal in the third period were 13-6 for the Tigers. The Tigers outshot the Rebels 38-23 in the game.
Jordan Switzer stopped 22 of the 23 shots that he faced for the win for the Tigers. For the Rebels Peyton Shore stopped 28 of the 38 shots that he faced during the night.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Liam Ruck 2) Marcus Ruck 3) Kadon McCann
Attendance in Medicine Hat was 4623
Rebels next game is Friday February 20th against the Saskatoon Blades in Red Deer
