Rebels Sneak Past Tigers in Overtime
February 19, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
Medicine Hat, AB - Kai Uchacz would score 3:34 into overtime to give the Red Deer Rebels the extra point in a Saturday Night thriller against the Medicine Tigers at Co-op Place.
It was a slow start for the Tigers only mustering two shots in the first ten minutes and the opening period saw the Rebels take a 1-0 lead on a Red Deer power plat at 10:14 as Hunter Mayo would beat a screened Beckett Langkow (Vegreville, AB) as the Rebels would take that very lead into the 1st intermission outshooting the Tigers 12-4.
In the middle frame, the Tigers would start to find their legs as they'd score three straight goals in a span of 5:35 as Shane Smith (Cessford, AB) would get the Tigers on the board with his 17th of the season from Dallon Melin (Czar, AB) & Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) at 4:23. Then Lindstrom would one-time home his 15th on a Tiger power play at 6:33 from Andrew Basha (Calgary, AB) & Oasiz Wiesblatt (Calgary, AB) and then it was another one-timer this time from Brenden Lee (Seattle, WA) just beating Rebels starter Chas Wutzke from Kurtis Smythe (Cloverdale, BC) & Tyler MacKenzie (Red Deer, AB) at 9:58.
The tide would take a turn after a Oasiz Wiesblatt charging major would give Red Deer five minutes of power play time and they would slowly tie the game at 3-3 from goals by Kai Uchacz & Mats Lingren at 14:52 and 16:46 to take things to the 3rd period all square at 3-3.
In the final 20 minutes, the Rebels would get another power play goal just 1:18 from Frantisek Formanek but the Tigers would get a power play opportunity just after the Rebels took their 4-3 lead and Shane Smith would get his second of the night for his 18th of campaign at 3:37 from Basha & Reid Andresen (Saskatoon, SK). Both teams would create chances but no one could get the regulation lead and the Rebels and Tigers would need an extra five minutes to decide a winner.
At 3:34 the Rebels would make pay dirt as Uchacz would break-in and just squeeze a shot past Beckett Langkow for the game winner giving the Rebels their 37th win of the season maintaining their Central Division supremacy.
Despite the loss the Tigers get a point and remain engrained in the Eastern Conference Playoff Race with a 22-22-8-1 record. Special teams were the difference Saturday as the Tigers were2/3 on the power play but just 2/6 on the penalty kill.
Next up for the Orange and Black is the conclusion of the season series with the Rebels as it's a change of scenery as the Tigers head to the Peavy Mart Centrium in Red Deer Family Day Monday at 2 PM.
You can catch the game live on the home of the Tigers Wild 94.5 with Gino De Paoli starting with the pre-game show at 1:45 and puck drop is set for 2 PM.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 19, 2023
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- T-Birds Dethrone the Royals - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Royals Fall In Road Contest Against Thunderbirds - Victoria Royals
- Blades Squeak Out 2-1 Win Over Giants - Vancouver Giants
- Rebels Sneak Past Tigers in Overtime - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Chiefs Blanked 3-0 by Tri-City Americans Saturday Night - Spokane Chiefs
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