By Adam Jones - Medicine Hat Tigers

GAME NOTES: Tigers host Oil Kings for first home game of 2018

Jan 5, 2018 | 10:06 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Tonight the Medicine Hat Tigers will host the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Canalta Centre for the Tigers’ first home game of the new year. This will be the second meeting of these two teams, with the Tabbies taking the first one 4-3 in a shootout. Both teams will be coming into tonight’s match up hungry for a win after falling short to their opponents Wednesday night. The Orange and Black fell 4-3 to the Calgary Hitmen in overtime; while the Oil Kings lost 4-3 to the Vancouver Giants in a shootout.

OVERALL: 21-15-3-0
HOME: 13-6-1-0
ROAD: 8-9-2-0
CENTRAL DIVISION: 1st
EASTERN CONFERENCE: 4th

Injury Update:
Hayden Ostir – Upper Body (Week to Week)
Linus Nassen – Upper Body (Week to Week)
Mason Shaw – Lower Body (Indefinite)

2017/18 Series VS Oil Kings:
OVERALL: 1-0-0-0
HOME: 0-0-0-0
ROAD: 1-0-0-0

Last 5 seasons VS. Oil Kings: 17-3-0-0
Last Win VS. Oil Kings: December 16, 2017 (W 4-3 SO)

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2017/18 Club Leaders: 
Goals: Mark Rassell (33)
Assists: David Quenneville (28)
Points: Mark Rassell (52)
PIMS: Dalton Gally (36)
Plus/Minus: Joel Craven (8)
Wins: Jordan Hollett (13)

Tonight’s Match-up:

In the last meeting between the Tigers and the Oil Kings, Mark Rassell scored the lone shootout goal to win the game

Max Gerlach has 11 points in the 13 games played against the Oil Kings over his career as a Tiger, including 2 points (1G, 1A) in one game so far this season.

In their last 7 consecutive games, the Tigers have only faced off against their Central Division rivals with a record of 4-2-1-0.

Did you Know?

Mark Rassell has a 5 game point streak where he has netted 5 goals and 4 assists for 9 points.

David Quenneville leads all WHL defencemen in goals with 16 so far this season.

Who to Watch:

Medicine Hat Tigers – Mark Rassell continues to put on strong performances for the Tigers. Rassell is scoring at a torrid pace this season and he is coming close to beating last year’s record of 36 goals. Currently, the 20-year-old Calgary native has 33 goals and 19 assists in 39 games this season.  Edmonton Oil Kings – Trey Fix-Wolansky has 13 points in the Oil Kings last 6 games including 2 against the Tigers December 16th. Wolansky is the Oil Kings leading point producer and has already matched his output for assists from last year.

Imports:

In his first year with the Orange and Black, Linus Nassen has been making a name for himself. Hailing from Sweden, Nassen has 22 points in 38 games with the Tigers. The Tabbies blue line also features the towering shut down defenceman Kristians Rubins. Rubins is the first Latvian born player to ever suit up for the Tigers and he has netted 3 goals and 12 assists so far this season.

Protecting the Paint:

The Tigers acquired 18-year-old netminder Jordan Hollett from the Regina Pats in the offseason. Hollett is a 6th round selection of the Ottawa Senators and currently he is sporting a 13-8-2 record with a 3.36 GAA and a .899 SV% The Orange and Black also have veteran goaltender Michael Bullion. Bullion has a 8-7-1 record posting a .874 SV% and a 3.64 GAA.

NHL Drafted / Signed Players:
David Quenneville (New York Islanders), Mason Shaw (Minnesota Wild), Jordan Hollett (Ottawa Senators), Linus Nassen (Florida Panthers)

TIGERS BROADCAST: Listen to the legendary voice of the Tigers Bob Ridley broadcast all Tigers games on CHAT 94.5 FM. Bob Ridley has called all but one game since the Medicine Hat Tigers came into the league in 1970.