By Mitch Bach

Gerlach, Tigers excel in double-header sweep of Cougars

Nov 22, 2017 | 10:05 PM

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Building off a strong third period in Prince George on Tuesday, the Medicine Hat Tigers appeared unstoppable in game two of a double-header against the Cougars.

Max Gerlach grabbed four-points, Jimmy Hamblin notched a pair, and the Tabbies thwarted the Cougars in a 7-3 victory on Wednesday at the CN Centre.

That makes two consecutive games which in the Tigers have scored seven goals on the B.C. Peace Region club.

Contrary to game one, the Cougars found the scoresheet to open the scoring. Brogan O’Brien scored his second in two nights 7:40 into the contest, but Gary Haden answered back with his sixth of the season less than six minutes later. Haden, a product of Airdrie, AB, is one goal shy of his career high for goals scored, which he set last year.

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Scoring the second goal for the Tigers in game one, Hamblin did the same with just 16 seconds remaining in the first period in game two. His sixth of the season, giving the Tigers a 2-1 advantage, set the stage for what was to come in the second frame.

Gerlach, who also nabbed a three-point performance over PG on Tuesday, doubled up the Tigers lead early in the second. That was followed by Hamblin’s second of the night, and eventual game winner, just 28 seconds later.

Defenceman David Quenneville found the net 75 seconds after that, breaking a six-game goal drought, to give Medicine Hat a 5-1 lead.

Although the Cougars cut the deficit to three thanks to Kody McDonald’s 14th of the year midway through the second, the Tigers answered back with Ryan Jevne’s fourth goal in the last four games with under three minutes left in the second. Jevne also picked up two goals against Prince George on Tuesday.

McDonald collected his second of the night on the Cougars only powerplay opportunity prior to the second intermission, but Tigers captain Mark Rassell put nail to coffin with the final tally of the night nearing the end of the game.

Michael Bullion rebounded magnificently after losing to Swift Current most recently last Friday. The 20-year-old ‘tender stopped 42 of 45 fired his way to improve his record to 6-4 this year.

Gerlach was awarded the games first star for the second straight night, with McDonald taking second star honours and Bullion rounding out the third star.

Medicine Hat improves to 15-7-0-0 on the year and continues to take a commanding lead in the WHL’s Central Division. They’ll wrap up a four-game B.C. road trip with stops in Kamloops and Kelowna this weekend.