The Cats Meow: Game Day Blog #26

The Rebels traveled to Medicine Hat following Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Ice.

Red Deer Rebels (17-8-0-0) 34pts. AT Medicine Hat Tigers (7-11-2-1) 17pts.

The 1st place in the Central Division Red Deer Rebels take their 8-6-0-0 road record into Medicine Hat where the Tigers are 6-6-0-1 at the CanAlta Centre. Their new arena has not been as kind as the old Medicine Hat Arena.

Ivan Nikolishin enters tonight's contest riding a 5 game point streak. He has 6 goals and 4 assist during the streak. Add Conner Bleackley to the list of hot players as he has a 3 game point streak heading in the 'Hat. (1G,3A).

I expect that Rylan Toth will get the start tonight in the Rebels net. He is 12-6-0-0 on the season with a 2.62 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. Against the Tigers he is 1-0-0-0 in 1 start with a 1.00 GAA and a SPARKLING .976 save percentage.

Medicine Hat has been struggling this season all around. Their biggest concern appears to be in net as they have a league low .865 team save percentage. The fans of Medicine Hat have been so accustomed to the great goaltending Marek Langhamer provided. Mack Shields was brought in after Austin Lotz went down with an injury and it still hasn't turned the teams fortunes around. I presume he will be the starter this evening. His record with the Tigers is 1-2-0-0 with a .854 save percentage and 4.02 GAA.

Adam Musil - tsn.ca

In the head to head contests Red Deer is 2-0-0-0 and Medicine Hat is 0-1-1-0. Adam Musil and Evan Polei lead the charges in Red Deer with 2 goals and an assist each. 5 players have 2 points each. On the Tigers side of the ice, Steven Owre has 1 goal and 3 assists and leading scorer Chad Butcher has 1 goal and 2 assists. 2 others have 2 points each. Don't forget Cole Sanford who was injured during the 2 games against the Rebels. He has 5 points in 6 games since his return.

Steven Owre - tigershockey.com

Red Deer will be without Kayle Doetzel, Brayden Purtill and Josh Mahura. Medicine Hat has only 2 players on the injured list, Forward Zach Fischer (week-to-week) and Goalie Austin Lotz (indefinite). Alex Mowbray will be back in the line-up after serving his suspension.

Tonight's game is underway from Medicine Hat at 7:30 PM. The game is on 106.7 the Drive in Red Deer. Medicine Hat will have the game on 94.5 CHAT FM.