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Cubs struggle defensively against Okotoks, blown out 11-4

Jan 14, 2018 | 12:54 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat Travelodge Cubs faced a shooting gallery at the Kinplex on Saturday night, blown out for the third straight game 11-4 against the Okotoks Bisons.

The Cubs allowed four goals on 12 shots in the first period alone, including a Bisons goal from Taylor McNeill less than two minutes into the contest.

Kanen Krushel and Noah Irvine were able to pot goals for Medicine Hat in the second period, but the Cubs still trailed Okotoks 6-2 heading to the third period.

Okotoks added goals early in the third from Jharin Bantugan and Josh Russo to increase their lead to 8-2, before Mackenzie Fritzler converted on the power play midway through the frame.

The goals kept coming from the Bisons however, scoring three more times in the final 10 minutes to capture an 11-4 win over the Cubs.

Josh Breznik was pulled late in the third period after allowing nine goals on 52 shots against, while T.J. Goldie allowed a pair of goals in his eight minutes of action.

The Bisons finished the game with almost double the number of shots compared to the Cubs, outshooting Medicine Hat by a 62-35 count.

Cubs assistant coach Brandon Stahl said there was very little fight from his club after falling behind the eight-ball early.

“It started right from puck drop, we weren’t ready to go at all,” said Stahl. “We got scored on two minutes in and it just progressed further throughout the entire game. We had no bounce back, we had no push, and it just didn’t go our way at all.”

It’s Medicine Hat’s third straight loss since coming back from the Christmas break, while the team has been outscored 26-7 in 2018.

Irvine said there hasn’t been enough of a buy in defensively from the team over their last few games.

“You just got to grab a guy,” said Irvine. “It seemed like a lot of time there was a guy open. All of their point shots were getting through, no one wants to block those but someone’s got to. You can get all those shots coming through because they’re going to score some goals.”

Seeing their record drop to 10-17-1 on the season, the Cubs remain three points behind the Strathmore Wheatland Kings for fifth in their division.

A two-game road trip is ahead for Medicine Hat next weekend, beginning in High River on Friday night against the Flyers before travelling to Ponoka on Saturday.