February 25, 2013 - Western Hockey League (WHL) Red Deer Rebels MEDICINE HAT - On Oscar night, Medicine Hat Tiger Curtis Valk walked down the red carpet and then took home the hardware by scoring a hat-trick in a 5-4 Tiger win over the Red Deer Rebels.

The Tiger win snapped the Rebels five-game winning streak, but they went 2-for-3 since Friday.

FIRST PERIOD

Just nine seconds in the Rebels took their first penalty over the game which led to Medicine Hat taking a 1-0 lead on Curtis Valk's goal 23 seconds later.

Red Deer tied the game 1-1 on a pinball arcade like goal at 6:09. CODY THIEL was behind the goal line when his shot went off Tiger goalie CAM LANIGAN and then in the net. RHYSE DIENO had a great chance to put the Rebels up 2-1 when he chomped on a juicy rebound, but Lanigan answered the call. The Rebels were buzzing around the Medicine Hat zone midway through the period when they had their first powerplay. But it was the Tigers who got the go ahead goal when Miles Koules scored at 10:54. The puck went off Pouliot's right shoulder and popped into the net. The Tigers took a 3-1 lead at 17:39 when Logan McVeigh scored during a BRADY GAUDET four-minute spearing penalty. Shots were 14-8 Tigers, but the big story were powerplays - the Tigers had four and cashed in on two.

SECOND PERIOD

The Rebels came out with good jump in the first few minutes. Red Deer cut the lead to 3-2 when CONNER BLEACKLEY found himself in the slot and sent a wrister into the net. Medicine Hat didn't get a shot on goal until the nine minute mark, but it was a tricky one from Zach Hodder.

The Tigers restored their two-goal lead when Volk scored his second of the game at 10:12. Volk took a nice pass from behind the net from Hunter Shinkaruk for his 40th of the season. Then, 2:24 later, Volk completed his hat-trick when he slammed in a rebound on the left side of Pouliot made it 5-2.

Red Deer seemed to be struggling a little at the end of the period, and had to defend their eighth powerplay in the final minute. The Rebels were outshot 12-10 in the middle frame and 38-13 over 60 minutes.

THIRD PERIOD

Read this article:

Rebels Edged 5-4 in Medicine Hat