By Mitch Bach

Dahlstrom scores overtime winner; completes Tigers comeback to square up series

Apr 12, 2017 | 10:23 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB — John Dahlstrom took a beautiful feed from Matt Bradley in the slot and one-timed home a critical game-winner 12:32 into overtime.

The Swedish import picks tally came after the Medicine Hat Tigers erased a two-goal deficit to their Highway 3 rivals; reversing a result from the previous two contests. Chad Butcher and Max Gerlach also found the scoresheet in a 3-2 black-and-orange victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes, squaring up their best-of-seven series at 2-2.

Michael Bullion took the blue paint in his eighth straight playoff start, stopping 28 of 30 shots fired his way to improve his record to 6-2. Stuart Skinner was awarded the game’s first star after making an astounding 56 saves.

A sold out Enmax Center was roared to life by Giorgio Estephan at the 10:25 mark of the first period. The ‘Canes opening marker is the first time all playoffs the Tigers failed to score first. 20-year-old Estephan, awarded the CHL’s Player of the Week, continues to lead the WHL with 17 points.

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Medicine Hat held momentum for most of the opening frame, leading the shot department 17-7, but couldn’t solve goaltender Stuart Skinner. Egor Babenko joined the ‘Canes scoring parade with his fourth of the playoffs late in the opening frame to hold a 2-0 advantage.

The Tigers continued to pepper Skinner in the middle period and finally solved the draft-eligible ‘tender with 1:54 to play. Assistant captain Butcher was left all alone in front of the blue paint, easily tapping home a lose rebound to bring his team within a goal. That snapped a Tigers scoring drought spanning nearly 70 minutes.

With just 3:32 to play in the third, Gerlach completed the comeback with the Tigers lone powerplay marker, beating Skinner low glove from the left faceoff dot. 

Both teams traded off glorous opportunities early in overtime. Babenko was left all alone in front of Bullion, but the Tigers netminder beat him with a poke-check. Moments later, Mark Rassell slithered his way free in front of Skinner, only to ring it off the post after catching a piece of Skinner’s blocker.

Dahlstom’s fifth of the playoffs was by far his biggest goal to date, awarding the TIgers the chance to regain a series lead over the ‘Canes in Game 5 on Friday night from the Canalta Centre (7:30 p.m.)