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Tigers tamed by Giants Saturday, lose Hollett to injury

Feb 4, 2018 | 10:48 AM

 

LANGLEY, B.C. – A rough four-game road swing in British Columbia came to an end with another loss for the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday, falling 5-4 to the Vancouver Giants.

Despite outshooting the Giants 19-10 in the first period, the Tigers trailed by one after Tyler Popowich jammed at a loose puck in the crease past Jordan Hollett to make it 1-0.

Medicine Hat knotted up the game at 1-1 five minutes into the second period, with Dalton Gally wiring home a slapshot from the blueline that deflected off a Giants forward for his second goal of the year.

Near the midway mark of the period, some nifty passing by Vancouver allowed Bowen Byram to be left alone in the slot, who shovelled home his sixth to give the Giants the lead once again.

Less than a minute later, Brayden Watts dished the puck to Ty Ronning who went top shelf on Hollett to score his 47th goal of the year and put Vancouver ahead 3-1.

Shortly after that goal, Hollett made a save on Ronning but had to leave the ice after suffering from some discomfort. Michael Bullion came into the game, while Hollett did not return.

Gary Haden cut the Tigers deficit to 3-2 with just under four minutes to go in the period, hopping on a puck rebounding off the post and beating David Tendeck.

In the dying minutes of the period, Jaeger White centred the puck for Elijah Brown who went backhand on Tendeck to tie up the game at 3-3 entering the third frame.

With 11 minutes to go in regulation, Dawson Holt hopped on a rebound in the slot to beat Bullion and put the Giants back into the lead.

Just over a minute later however, Medicine Hat tied the game at 4-4 after a Dylan MacPherson point shot was tipped by a Vancouver player and fluttered over the head of Tendeck.

The Tigers were only able to hang on for so long though, as Giants defender Alex Kannok-Leipert fired home the eventual game-winner from the right face-off circle with 3:06 left.

Hollett was handed the loss after allowing three goals in 24 minutes of action, while Bullion allowed a pair of goals on 22 shots against.

Seeing their record on the B.C. road trip drop to 0-3-1, the Tigers have seen their lead in the Central Division dwindle to just three points with the Lethbridge Hurricanes on their heels.

The Tigers will try to right the ship on Wednesday night, as they return home to the Canalta Centre to face the WHL basement dwellers in the Edmonton Oil Kings.