PHOTO COURTESY LEE LACHANCE RED DEER REBELS
Red Deer Rebels forward Ollie Josephson looks for the rebound on a shot that floats past Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender Ethan McCallum in the Tigers' 4-2 loss Friday night at Red Deer to the Rebels.
The Medicine Hat Tigers first lost of the season came quick.
The Tigers dropped the second game of the season, falling 4-2 Friday night at Red Deer to the Rebels. Medicine Hat came into the contest off a 4-2, opening weekend win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Sept. 21.
Red Deer opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the first.
Beckett Hamilton got the home team on the board, scoring off a rebound 3:14 into the game for his first Western Hockey League goal. Matthew Gard and Carson Birnie had the assists.
They doubled the score a little over nine minutes later on a point shot from Hunter Mayo that found twine. Luke Vlooswyk and Trae Wilkie had the helpers. Red Deer outshot Medicine Hat 11-4 in the opening frame.
Medicine Hat got the on the board in the second with a pair of goals.
Defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen scored his first WHL goal in his first WHL game, capitalizing on a turnover 2:49 into the middle stanza.
After Red Deer re-established the two goal lead, with the eventual game winning goal from Gard, Medicine Hat scored to make it a one-goal game again.
Andrew Basha, in his first game back from Calgary Flames’ camp, sent a pass to defenceman Josh Van Mulligen in the high slot who scored to make it a 3-2 game. Muhonen had the second assist on Van Mulligen’s marker.
Red Deer notched their third two-goal lead of the game with Jeremiah Roberts scoring 7:28 into the third period. Jhett Larson and Mateo Fabrizi had the assists on the Rebels’ insurance marker.
Rebels’ starting net minder Chase Wutzke held the Tigers off the board in the third period, picking up the win with 20 saves for the win in his first start of the season. Across the ice from him, Tigers’ goaltender Ethan McCallum made 25 saves in the loss.
The Tigers penalty kill was put to work in the loss, killing off all five penalties. They had two power plays, with Red Deer killing both off.
Medicine Hat (1-1) hosts Red Deer on Saturday at Co-op Place.
