By Mitch Bach

Tigers hang on for clutch victory over Silvertips

Oct 11, 2017 | 9:10 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Medicine Hat led in all but 93 seconds to capture their fourth win of the season on Wednesday.

Captain Mark Rassell collected his second multi-goal game of the season, Dawson Heathcote has a new-found souvineer, and the Medicine Hat Tigers skated to a 5-4 victory over the Everett Silvertips at the Canalta Centre.

For the third time this season, the Tigers regain a record greater than .500. They’ll look to build off their 4-3 mark on Friday when they host the Saskatoon Blades.

Everett, amidst a six-game trek through the Central Division, has now lost three straight and will look to get back in the win column Friday in Lethbridge.

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It took David Quenneville just 1:33 to score his first goal of the season; a seeing-eye snapper from the bench-side corner barely inside the blue line. 29 seconds later, Gary Haden set up rookie Dawson Heathcote for his first career WHL goal to increase the Tigers lead to 2-0. Haden also scooped up the puck immediately after the goal to give to Heathcote.

Kyle Dumba was quickly replaced by Dorrin Luding following Heathcote’s marker. Goaltending woes continue to plague the ‘Tips, and could continue that way until Carter Hart returns to action. The Philadephia Flyers prospect has played just a game and a half this season while dealing with a case of mono.

Two quick goals rounded out the final minute of the opening frame. First, Matt Fonteyne tickled the twine for the sixth time this season with 13 seconds to go. Just 11 seconds later, Tyler Prezuiso reignited the Canalta Centre crowd with a tightly knit buzzer beater to regain the Tigers two-goal lead.

Everett regained a step in the second period with goals from Patrick Bajkov and Brandson Hein. Tigers captain Mark Rassell skated straight from the bench to the slot and one-timed home a perfect feed from Haden, giving Med Hat a 4-3 lead through 40 minutes of play.

Rassell scored his second of the night early in the third period on the powerplay. The captain now has a team-lead eight markers on the season, scoring in all but one game. Montana Onyebuchi made things interesting by redirecting home the ‘Tips fourth goal of the night, but that’s as close as they got.

Michael Bullion, making his first start since a loss in Prince Albert on September 30, stopped 29 of 33 shots to earn the victory.