By Scott Roblin

Rubins fires OT winner, Tigers stave off Kootenay comeback

Jan 1, 2018 | 6:06 PM

CRANBROOK, AB – For the second straight game, it was some overtime magic from the Medicine Hat Tigers with a win to open up the new year.

Taking on the Kootenay ICE in a New Year’s Day matinee, the Tigers were fresh off a 4-3 win over the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday.

Tigers starter Jordan Hollett was outstanding in the opening frame with zero goals allowed on 11 shots against, while Kootenay’s Bailey Brkin made eight stops in a scoreless first.

Just over five minutes into the second, a check to the head by Medicine Hat’s Ryan Jevne resulted in the Tigers assistant captain and Zachary Patrick dropping the mitts.

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Following that, Medicine Hat went to the power play with a hooking call to Jonathan Smart.

On the man advantage, Ryan Chyzowski fired home the Tigers first goal of the calendar year to put the away side ahead 7:02 into the second.

Six minutes later, captain Mark Rassell was sprung on a breakaway and made no mistake for his 32nd goal of the season and his fourth goal in his last three games.

Up 2-0 with 20 minutes to play, the Tigers allowed their first goal of the game 78 seconds into the period with a puck rebounding in the slot to Brett Davis.

Already with one power play goal on the night, special teams continued to do wonders for the Tigers just over six minutes into the third.

In the span of 35 seconds, James Hamblin racked up a pair of short-handed markers to put Medicine Hat comfortably into the lead 4-1.

With Kristians Rubins still in the box, Kootenay finally made good on their power play chance though with Smart’s wrister from the point being tipped by Alec Baer.

Less than a minute later, Cameron Hausinger followed a shot from the right side and put the rebound past Hollett for his 12th of the year to bring Kootenay within a goal.

The ICE were able to score the game-tying goal with 6:17 left in regulation thanks to a bad angle shot from Baer that was able to beat Hollett and knot the game at 4-4.

This game needed a fourth period and it was a wrist shot from Rubins that sealed things, scoring 1:54 into overtime to give Medicine Hat the weekend sweep.

Despite allowing four goals in the third period, Hollett was still able to make 35 stops on the night, including a big glove save in OT to preserve the win.

Hamblin led the way offensively for the Tigers with his two short-handed markers, while Rassell scored a game-high three points.

After a shaky end to the first half of the season, Medicine Hat has now won three of their four games since returning from the Christmas break and still lock down first in the Central Division with a 21-15-2 record.

The Tigers are in Calgary on Wednesday evening to face the struggling Hitmen, before returning back to the Canalta Centre on Friday for a date with the Edmonton Oil Kings.