Tigers close out pre-season with loss to Rebels

The Medicine Hat Tigers dropped their final game of the Western Hockey League pre-season in a 5-3 loss to the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday, but not before Josh Williams lit the lamp a few more times.

The 16-year-old Tigers centre scored twice to increase his pre-season total to seven in just four games entering his first year of full-time eligibility.

But the Rebels had Williams and the Tigers working out of an early hole. Red Deer’s Kristian Reichel and Austin Pratt both beat Tabbies netminder Michael Bullion in the first seven minutes to stretch a two-goal lead before Williams could muster a response.

While Rebels winger Mason McCarty answered right back with his first goal of the pre-season just 26 seconds later to leave the Tigers down a pair after 20 minutes, Williams struck again — this time shorthanded — midway through the second to keep his team in the contest.

Grayson Pawlenchuk beat Tigers goaltender Duncan McGovern just before the end of the second to re-establish a two-goal lead at the break, then Pratt struck again early in the third to put the game out of reach.

Tigers centre Jaxon Steele managed to cut into the lead halfway through the final frame with his second goal of the pre-season, but Rebels goaltender Lasse Petersen shut the door for seven saves in the third to seal the victory.

McGovern was handed the loss after allowing two goals on 18 shots in nearly 30 minutes of work, while Bullion stopped 18-of-21 in the first half of the game.

Rebels starter Riley Lamb took the win after holding Medicine Hat to two goals on 20 shots through the first 40 minutes.

The Tigers open the regular season Friday in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes.