By Mitch Bach

Rassell sends hats flying, Captain Clay scores twice as Tigers win game one over Wheat Kings

Mar 24, 2017 | 10:11 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — It took four seasons of WHL hockey before Clayton Kirichenko finally felt the rush of the playoffs.

But the wait was worth it.

Captain Clay scored twice in his first career playoff game, Mark Rassell recorded his first career playoff hat-trick, and the Medicine Hat Tigers pummelled the Brandon Wheat Kings 7-2 on Friday night.

Medicine Hat takes a 1-0 series lead into game two at the Canalta Centre on Saturday night.

Playing in his last year of eligibility, Kirichenko opened the scoring 6:46 into the game sending an electric fanbase to its feet. 

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But the 21-year old’s opening tally was one of many firsts in the contest. Late in the opening frame, Matt Bradley scored his first career playoff goal in his 28th career post-season game to make it 2-0 Tigers. Medicine Hat began the series right where they left off in the regular season, firing 18 shots on goal while surrender only seven.

Mark Rassell, one of 14 Tigers who laced up for their first career playoff games, began his scoring trifecta early in the second to make it 3-0 Tigers. Stelio Mattheos opened the scoring for the Wheat Kings less than a minute after Rassell’s marker, but Zach Fischer recorded his first career playoff marker as well to regain the Tigers three goal advantage.

Tyler Coulter gave Brandon some life with less than seven minutes left in the second, blowing a hard slapshot past Bullion on the powerplay.

But Kirichenko iced down any Wheat Kings momentum with a hard wrist shot that snuck past Logan Thompson late in second. The Sherwood Park, AB product added a helper in the win. His three point performance is part of collecting 10 points in his last five games dating back to the regular season.

Rassell collected his second tally on a five-on-three man advantage midway through the final frame, and finished off the hat-trick with less than a minute to go. David Quenneville pitched in with three assists and Chad Butcher tossed in a pair of helpers.

Michael Bullion played exceptionally well stopping 26 shots fired his way to win his first career playoff start. Thompson made 45 saves in the loss.

The tenacious nature of the playoffs was alive and well in this one. Both teams combined for 38 penalty minutes, all of which minor infractions.

Special teams was certainly clicking for the home team. Medicine Hat went 4-for-9 on the powerplay, while successfully killing off 5-of-6 penalties.

Game two from the Canalta Centre begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night.