POR 3
SPO 4
CGY 5
MH 2
EVT 5
BDN 3
SAS 4
PEN 4
EDM 1
KAM 4
WEN 5
MJ –
REG –
RD –
PA –
SEA –
SC –
VAN –
LET –
Photo: https://youtu.be/r7NVEumoKTI?t=160
By Justin HublerMedicine Hat Tigers ReporterThe Medicine Hat Tigers and Calgary Hitmen split games at the end of the week with the Tigers rallying for a 5-4 win in Calgary on Friday before dropping a 5-2 decision at Co-op Place on Saturday.
Friday’s game was a back and forth one from the start. Josh Evaschesen opened the scoring early in the first with his fourth of the season, cashing in on a rebound off Luke Cozens. Calgary tied it late in the first then took a 3-1 lead early in the second when Brennan Brown and Bode Laylin scored 21 seconds apart. That’s when Dayton Reschny took over, scoring two power play goals just 59 seconds apart to tie the game at 3. The Hitmen grabbed the lead back before the period ended but the Tigers outshot them 15-7 in the middle frame.
The third was a patient one until a 4-on-4 opened up the ice and Markus Ruck tied it at mid way through the period with a wrist shot from up high. Yaroslav Bryzgalov then pounced on a mishandled pass late in the game for his third of the year and the Tigers held on for the 5-4 win. Carter Casey made 19 saves on 23 shots, and the Tigers went 2 for 4 on the power play and 2 for 2 on the penalty kill.
Saturday didn’t go the Tigers way. Julien Maze put Calgary up 1-0 just past the five minute mark and Bryzgalov answered with the clock winding down late in the first on a breakaway off a stretch pass from Ruck. Carter Sanderson put the Hitmen back in front on a power play in the second, his league-leading 14th (Already at 15) goal of the year and Evaschesen tied it at 2 early in the third with his fifth of the season. The Tigers outshot Calgary 14-7 in the third but Maze scored on a breakaway in the final five minutes, Blake Vanek added insurance and Maze sealed his first career hat trick into the empty net. Aidan Hesse stopped 25 of 27 for Calgary and the Tigers didn’t get a single power play all night.
Ruck was named first star on Friday with a goal and two assists with Hitmen defenceman Kale McCann and Bode Laylin rounding out the stars. It was also a family affair, as it was the first time Kale faced his older brother Kadon, a Tiger on opposite sides in a WHL game. Saturday’s stars went to Maze, Evaschesen and Hesse. Evaschesen scored in both games and Bryzgalov did the same, while Reschny’s two power play goals doubled his season total to four.
The split leaves the Tigers at 6-4-1 with 13 points through 11 games, 4th in the Central and 12th overall. Calgary, who also beat Saskatoon in overtime Sunday are now 8-5 and tied with Red Deer for the top spot in the Central Division so the Tigers are chasing both clubs. The season series is even at 1-1 with six meetings still to come.
Next up, the Tigers hit the road for Wenatchee on Wednesday, then head to Spokane on Friday.
