File Photo

By Scott Roblin

WHL Hockey

Kemp, Svejkovsky drive Tigers offence in 6-2 victory over ‘Canes

Apr 29, 2021 | 9:53 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Like so many games this season for the Medicine Hat Tigers, special teams turned out to be the difference.

However, it was while the Tigers were down a man that they were at their most dangerous in Lethbridge pulling off a 6-2 series opening win against the Hurricanes on Thursday.

Brett Kemp and Lukas Svejkovsky each had a pair of goals in the win, while Medicine Hat netted two shorthanded tallies as part of a four-goal second period.

Kemp opened the scoring less than seven minutes into the opening frame, pouncing on an Oren Shtrom rebound to reach the 30-point mark on the season and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead on the road.

Lethbridge answered back with a Jett Jones goal crashing the net a few minutes later, which would bring the Hurricanes to a 1-1 tie with Medicine Hat which stretched into the intermission.

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The Tigers ran into some penalty troubles early in the second, but a three-on-one the other way would prove to be costly for Lethbridge with Cole Clayton snapping home his ninth goal of the season.

Nick McCarry added to Medicine Hat’s scoring prowess while down a man near the midway mark of the second, flying in on a breakaway to extend his team’s lead to 3-1.

Kemp and Svejkovsky would find the back of the cage before the period’s end, while Rhett Parsons and Joe Arntsen dropped the mitts for a tussle prior to the buzzer as well.

Up big 5-1 under six minutes into the third period, Svejkovsky cashed in with his second goal of the night.

Lethbridge’s Ty Nash closed the gap to 6-2 on the power play near the end of regulation, however the Tigers hung on comfortably for the win.

Tigers goaltender Garin Bjorklund made 30 saves on the night for his ninth win of the WHL season, while it was a rough one between the pipes for Lethbridge’s Carl Tetachuk allowing six goals on 30 shots.

Thursday’s win snaps a three-game losing streak for the Tigers, improving their record on the year to 13-6-1 to further extend their lead for second place in the Central Division.

Medicine Hat and Lethbridge will be back in action on Saturday night at Co-Op Place for a 7:00 pm puck drop for the second of three games this week between the Highway 3 rivals.