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Cubs allow five straight goals in 6-2 loss to Airdrie

Dec 4, 2017 | 10:13 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Emotions got the best of the Medicine Hat Travelodge Cubs in the third period on Sunday night, allowing six goals in a 6-2 loss to the Airdrie Thunder at home.

Coming into Sunday’s meeting with the third-ranked Thunder, the Cubs were fresh off a 5-1 win over the Three Hills Thrashers which marked their first victory in almost a month.

Medicine Hat opened the scoring with less than two minutes remaining in the first period, with captain Quinten Karg netting his second goal of the season to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead at the break.

The Cubs later went to work on the power play in the second period, but it was the Thunder striking shorthanded as Dylan Wenzel tied up the game 5:27 into the frame.

A little past the midway point of the second Medicine Hat got the lead back from Tristan Stensrud, but Airdrie responded with a power play goal from Rylan Plante-Crough a few minutes later to make it a 2-2 game heading to the third.

Airdrie took their first lead of the contest 6:05 into the period, with Clay Murray beating Medicine Hat’s Josh Breznik to give the Thunder a 3-2 advantage.

Tensions boiled over shortly after the goal, as a pair of fights broke out and led to a slough of penalty minutes for both sides.

The Cubs were unable to rally for the tying goal, instead giving up three Airdrie goals in the span of 2:27 as the game began to snowball.

Airdrie ran out the rest of the clock, with the Cubs losing by a 6-2 final score.

Medicine Hat was only able to put six shots on Thunder goalie Ryan Simpson in the third period, being outshot 46-29.

Breznik made 40 saves in the loss for the Cubs, while Medicine Hat struggled with special teams with zero goals on seven chances.

Cubs Head Coach J.D. Gaetan said it was a strong effort from his club, especially in the first two periods, but he knows his young team can do better.

“They’re a top team in the north, a team that’s going to contend until the end,” said Gaetan. “So, to be able to skate with them for a couple periods there… I think it’s a game that we can have. We just got to reel in the emotions a little bit and play our game.”

Now holding a record of 7-12-0, the Cubs return to the Kinplex ice on Saturday night as they welcome the 13-6-0 Blackfalds Wranglers.