By Mitch Bach

Tigers find their scoring touch against Oil Kings

Jan 5, 2018 | 8:46 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Baxter Anderson waited a long time to feel the rush of scoring in the WHL.

The wait ended Friday night.

Mere minutes after Team Canada struck gold in the World Junior Hockey Championships, Anderson jammed home the first goal of his young WHL career to help the Medicine Hat Tigers defeat the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-1.

Michael Bullion was influential in the victory, stopping 19 Oil Kings shots fired his way. That includes all 18 in the first two periods. The 22-15-3-0 Tigers are now eight points clear of the Kootenay ICE for the Central Division lead.

Max Gerlach collected two goals and one assist, while Mark Rassell and Dave Quenneville also lit the lamp for the home team. Rassell and Quenneville finished the game with two point performances. Medicine Hat is now eight points clear of Kootenay for the Central Division lead.

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For the Oil Kings, this snaps a stretch of six games in which they collected at least a point. Edmonton remains last place in the WHL, now falling to 10-23-4-2 this year. David Kole scored the lone tally.

Josh Dechaine took the loss in goal with 21 saves on the night.

Anderson’s goal came 5:05 into the second period, strengthening the Tigers lead to 2-0. The Langley, B.C. native, playing in his 33rd career game, pounced on a goal-line rebound to Dylan MacPherson’s point shot. The 17-year-old now has four points on the campaign.

Gerlach opened the scoring late in the first period on the powerplay. The Texas-born winger, still dawning a full-cage from a vicious slash in October, finished a tic-tac-toe passing play from Jaeger White and Kristians Rubins. Gerlach now has 16 goals this year, and points in seven of the last eight games.

Colton Kehler was handed a five-minute major for slew-footing late in the second period, setting the stage for Dave Quenneville’s 17th of the year early in the third. The Tigers blue-liner finished a cross-ice pass from captain Mark Rassell to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

David Kope scored moments later to draw the Oil Kings within two, but Mark Rassell notched his 34th of the year ahead of the 10 minute mark to regain the Tigers three goal advantage. Gerlach’s second of the night came unassisted with under six minutes to go.

Anderson’s first goal wasn’t the only mark of significance to this one. Rookie defenceman Eric Van Impe made his WHL debut for the Orange and Black, wearing #3. The 16-year-old was acquired by the Tigers in October, along with forward Hayden Ostir in a trade which sent Zach Fischer to the Spokane Chiefs. He’s averaging a point per game playing for the Calgary Northstars AAA program of the Alberta Midget Hockey League. 

Van Impe was called into action after Linus Nassen cracked a bone near his wrist earlier this week, sidelining the Swede for the next 6-8 weeks.

To the delight of many Tigers fans, Josh Williams made a return to the lineup. The rookie forward, who has four goals and five points this season, missed the last 25 games with a broken collarbone. He suited alongside Ryan Chyzowski and Tyler Preziuso on the second line.

The Tigers return to action Saturday night, playing host to the Vancouver Giants at 7:30 p.m. at the Canalta Centre.