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GAME NOTES: Tigers look to square series against Hurricanes

Apr 12, 2017 | 11:58 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB — Tonight the Tigers and Hurricanes will continue their 2nd round series in Lethbridge at the Enmax Centre. Last night these two teams met with the Hurricanes taking the series lead 2-1. Medicine Hat will look to even the series and head back to the Canalta Centre on Friday night.

 

BY THE NUMBERS – MEDICINE HAT TIGERS

APRIL 12TH, 2017

2016-17 WHL RANKINGS:

OVERALL: (51-20-1-0)

HOME: 25-9-1-0

AWAY: 25-11-0-0

2017 PLAYOFFS

LETHBRIDGE LEADS BEST OF 7 SERIES 2-1

INJURY UPDATES:

NONE

Man Games Lost to Injury: 90

16-17 SEASON SERIES VS. CANES

OVERALL: 4-3-0-0

HOME: 3-1-0-0

AWAY: 1-2-0-0

LAST 5 SEASONS: 17-11-1-0

LAST WIN: Mar. 18, 2017 – 8-7

2017 PLAYOFF LEADERS:

GOALS: ZACH FISCHER (6)

ASSISTS: CHAD BUTCHER (7)

POINTS: QUENNEVILLE, FISCHER, BUTCHER (9)

PIM: ZACH FISCHER (20)

PLUS MINUS: OWRE, BUTCHER, FISCHER (+6)

WINS: MICHAEL BULLION (5)

 

LAST GAME AT A GLANCE:

James Hamblin scored his second of the post season and added an assist for his first career multi-point playoff game
Mark Rassell added his 5th of the post season. Combined with the regular season Rassell has 41 goals
Giorgio Estephan recorded another 3 points including 2 goals and now has 7 points in 2 games in the series

Estephan leads the entire WHL playoff scoring with 16 points in 8 games and has 15 points in 7 games vs. Medicine Hat including the regular season

TIGERS FAST FACTS:

Medicine Hat is 5-11-0-0 at the Enmax Centre over the past 5 seasons including regular season games and the 2017 Playoffs
The Tigers are 7-3-0-0 over their past 10 games (including the regular season)
The last time the Tigers came back from a 2-1 or 3-1 deficit was during the 2014 Playoffs when they won 3 straight games against the Kootenay ice to advance to the 3rd Round of the playoffs

DID YOU KNOW?: The Tigers gave up 7 goals on Saturday which is the most in a playoff game since the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oil Kings, a 8-3 defeat.

26 YEARS IN THE MAKING: Despite playing 7 games during the regular season the Hurricanes franchise and the Tigers have only met once in the post season. Going all the way back to the 1990-91 season, the Tigers were led by Kevin Riehl and Jason Miller with Lethbridge led by Jason Ruff. In that series the Canes would defeat the Tigers in 7 games.

THIS DATE IN PLAYOFF HISTORY: Head back to the 2014 Playoffs as the Tigers took on the Kootenay Ice in Game 5 of their best of 7 series. The Tigers trailed 3-1 to the Ice heading into the night. Kootenay took an early lead but a pair of goals by Cole Sanford tied the game. Chad Butcher’s goal late in the second period stood as the game winner but the Tigers offense wasn’t done as the Tigers scored 6 times in the final period. Sanford finished with 4 goals and 6 points. Miles Koules, Curtis Valk and Chad Labelle all pitched in goals as the Tigers won 9-2. Medicine Hat would end up winning Game 6 and 7 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.

WHO TO WATCH: Tigers – Zach Fischer: The big winger leads the Tigers with 6 goals in the post season. Fischer also sports toughness as he can fight and play a physical game adding to his offensive abilities. Hurricanes – Giorgio Estephan: A red hot Estephan has 7 points in his last 2 games and leads the playoffs in scoring with 16 points in 8 games

NHL DRAFTED / SIGNED PLAYERS: Matt Bradley (Montreal Canadiens), Nick Schneider (Calgary Flames), John Dahlstrom (Chicago Blackhawks), David Quenneville (New York Islanders)