By Mitch Bach

Early offence and prime goaltending help Tigers snap four-game losing streak

Feb 7, 2018 | 8:10 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Tigers assistant coach Joe Frazer preached a simple message to his team during practice this week: stick to the process and the results will come.

That statement rang true Wednesday night.

An explosive first period of play, combined with a 31-save performance by Michael Bullion, snapped the Tigers four-game losing streak with a 6-0 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Canalta Centre.

It’s the division-leading Tabbies first win at home in over a month, which also came against Edmonton back on Jan. 5, snapping a five-game drought.

Medicine Hat (27-22-7-0) is now five points clear of Lethbridge for first place in the Central, albeit the ‘Canes have three games in hand. They’ve won all four meeting against Edmonton this season.

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The Oil Kings, meanwhile, remain last place in the WHL with a record of 14-31-5-2. Josh Dechaine made 33 saves in the loss.

An injury-depleted Bengals roster found all the offence it needed in the opening 20 minutes of play. Tyler Preziuso, playing his first game since taking a puck to the head on Jan. 26, opened the scoring 2:43 into the contest. Dave Quenneville followed suit with his 22nd of the campaign, ripping a clean-cut clapper teed up by captain Mark Rassell at the 11:12 mark. The New York Islanders prospect continues to lead all WHL defenceman in goals along with 61 points.

Ryan Chyzowski and Rassell also found the twine ahead of the first intermission.

The four-goal spread allowed the Tigers to bare down defensively and cruise through the next two periods with ease. Although Michael Bullion was tested at times, he appeared calm and cool to earn his second shutout of the season.

Gary Haden added a third period marker with under eight minutes to play, his second tally in as many games. Josh Williams snuck in the Tigers sixth and final goal with three seconds to go.

Niether team found any success on the man-advantage, with the Tigers held scoreless on three opportunities and the Oil Kings going 0-for-five.

Several affiliate players were called in to wear orange and black due to a string of recent injuries. Defenceman Daniel Baker dressed in his fourth career WHL game, paired up with Dylan MacPherson in-lue of an injured Kristians Rubins. Baker finished +1 on the evening.

Last year’s first round pick Garin Bjorklund took up a spot on the bench as Bullion’s back-up after Jordan Hollett suffered a lower-body-injury in Vancouver last weekend. Hollett is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Other notable injuries to the Tigers include blue-liners Linus Nassen and Joel Craven, who are both week-to-week with upper-body-injuries. Forwards Mason Shaw and Hayden Ostir have also missed considerable amounts of playing time with lower and upper-body ailments respectively.

Medicine Hat’s next contest comes against the Calgary Hitmen at the Canalta Centre on Friday (7:30 p.m.).