By Scott Roblin

Tigers hold off Kootenay comeback to win weekend matinee

Mar 4, 2018 | 5:44 PM

CRANBROOK, B.C. – Not even the Kootenay ICE could cool down the Medicine Hat Tigers red-hot play of late, as the Tabbies rolled to a 4-1 win to close out the weekend in B.C.

After a scoreless opening first period featuring a 15-save performance from Michael Bullion, the ICE were the first to get on the board.

With seven minutes to play in the second, Kootenay’s Colton Kroeker stripped Cole Clayton loose of the puck and beat Bullion on the backhand to give the ICE a 1-0 advantage.

Seconds later it was Cameron Hausinger headed off for slashing, with the Tigers getting to work early on the power play thanks to an Elijah Brown marker to tie the game up.

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After having a goal waived off by referees shortly after, the Tigers picked up their first lead of the afternoon after Ryan Chyzowski beat his former teammate Duncan McGovern.

On the power play again near the end of the frame, Medicine Hat increased their lead to 3-1 with Josh Williams scoring his ninth of the season with only 40 seconds remaining before the intermission.

It stayed a 3-1 game late into the third period, but Kootenay was able to climb within one shorthanded after Peyton Krebs dangled Dylan MacPherson out of his skates and threw it over to Bobby Russell for his first career WHL goal.

With Ryan Jevne in the box for boarding, Medicine Hat got their own shorthanded goal off the tape of James Hamblin, reaching the 20-goal plateau and restoring the Tigers’ two-goal advantage with 2:06 remaining.

Kootenay got that goal back less than 30 seconds later from Jonathan Smart to close the gap to 4-3, but were unable to score with the extra attacker to give the Tigers another win under their belt.

Bullion was a force to be reckoned with on Sunday, making 38 saves for his 17th win of the year and first star honours.

Extending their lead in the Central Division to six points over the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the Tigers now hold a record of 34-24-8-0 on the year.

Earning six wins in their last seven games and points in every one of those meetings, Medicine Hat hasn’t lost a game in regulation since a 6-2 setback in Swift Current on February 16.

The Tigers return home on Tuesday night to kick off their final six games of the regular season against the Regina Pats, with game time scheduled for 7:00 pm.