SUBSCRIBE & WIN! Sign up for the Daily CHAT News Today Newsletter for a chance to win a $75 South Country Co-op gift card!

Gallant nets six for Venom, Sun Devils lose first game in over a month

Jun 16, 2019 | 12:59 PM

STRATHMORE, AB – A season-high six game winning streak came crashing down for a shorthanded Medicine Hat Sun Devils squad on Saturday evening in Strathmore.

Facing off against the Venom for the second time in two weeks, the Sun Devils allowed seven second period goals to drop their first game in over a month 13-9.

Strathmore opened the game with a shorthanded marker from Riley Gallant less than two minutes in, extending their lead to 2-0 before the end of the period with a Ryland Jolly power play goal.

Daniel Drefs was able to get that goal back for Medicine Hat, scoring with 1:22 left before the buzzer to make it a 2-1 game at the intermission.

The floodgates opened over the first half of the second period though, as the Venom beat Tyson McCormick four times in a 12 minute span to jump ahead by a 6-1 count.

Shawn Isberg, Drefs and Tegan Rogal were able to score late period goals for Medicine Hat, but the visitors still trailed 10-4 after 40 minutes of action.

Medicine Hat kicked off the third frame on the right note with captain Aidan McLean scoring his first of the game 52 seconds in, adding to a Rogal marker shortly after with his second of the night with 16:26 remaining to cut the deficit to three goals.

Strathmore’s offence was too potent to match on Saturday however, with the Venom netting three more goals in the third period to upset the streaking Sun Devils.

Gallant was the star of the night for Strathmore with six goals and seven points, leading all players in both categories.

Medicine Hat’s trio of Rogal, McLean, and Drefs meanwhile all scored a pair of goals in the loss.

Dropping back to an 8-5 record in Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League play, the Sun Devils hold a two point lead over the Calgary Axemen for second place in the South Central Division.

The Sun Devils will close out the regular season on Sunday afternoon with a tall task out west, heading to High River to face the 11-2 Heat at 4:00 pm.