Tigers offence fizzles in Saturday night defeat to Hurricanes

Medicine Hat attempted a late comeback against the ‘Canes with a pair of third period goals to pull within two but a late empty-netter for Lethbridge sealed the win for the visitors.

Saturday’s game had little flow from either team, as constant offsides and icings limited the offensive flow of the game.

“We just weren’t working hard,” said Tigers forward Corson Hopwo. “From top to bottom, our older guys to our younger guys, we didn’t come to work. They got on us hard and that’s the end of that.”

However, Tigers rookie forward Carlin Dezainde, who netted his first career WHL goal, said that can’t be an excuse for Medicine Hat’s loss.

“I think there were a lot of calls and a lot of whistles,” said Dezainde. “But, the little things like that you got to kind of move past in a game and can’t let it get to you.”

After an unremarkable start for either side, Lethbridge took a 1-0 lead with a little over five minutes left in the first period with Logan Barlage hopping on a Dino Kambeitz rebound on the power play.

That was followed exactly three minutes later by 16-year-old Hurricanes forward Cole Miller scoring on another Tigers rebound for his first career WHL marker and a 2-0 lead.

Lethbridge stretched their advantage to 3-0 midway through the second period courtesy of Alex Thacker’s third goal of the truncated season, shifting momentum firmly in the ‘Canes favour.

The Tigers were quick to respond however, as their fourth line came alive with Teague Patton deking his way through the Hurricanes and shifting to his forehand for Medicine Hat’s first goal of the night 26 seconds later.

It stayed a 3-1 Lethbridge lead until the four minute mark of the third, when Kambeitz spun just past the goal line and had the puck bounce in for the unorthodox fourth goal for the visiting side.

Kambeitz would complete the ‘Gordie Howe hat-trick’ a few minutes later following a scrap with Medicine Hat’s Eric Van Impe, before Chase Wheatcroft further extended his team’s lead to 5-1 on a roaring slap shot top shelf.

A third period comeback attempt was mustered by the Tigers starting with Corson Hopwo finishing off a feed by rookie Reid Andresen, before Dezainde snapped his first junior goal past Tetachuk off an odd-man rush.

“I’ve been waiting for it so I’m glad it finally came,” said Dezainde. “To come down on a 2-on-1 and get a nice shot was a perfect opportunity for me to score. I just took advantage of that I couldn’t be happier with it.”

Medicine Hat pressed hard down 5-3 late, but Wheatcroft finished things off with an empty-netter for his second goal of the night to snap the Tigers’ win streak at eight versus the ‘Canes dating back to last season.

The Tigers fourth line of Dezainde, Patton and Cayden Glover combined for two goals and four points and according to Hopwo were the team’s best players from start to finish.

“It’s good to see them do well and strive in their own way,” said Hopwo. “It just sucks that we couldn’t get the win for [Dezainde] and that line because they played hard for us.”

Tigers netminder Beckett Langkow was tagged with the first loss of his WHL career after starting the year with a 4-0-0 record, allowing five goals on 33 shots.

Just two games remain on the season for Medicine Hat, with Sunday’s rubber match between the Tigers and Hurricanes set to feature plenty of hostility.

“Our work ethic, we need to work harder tomorrow,” said Hopwo. “Defensive zone we need to be better there, forecheck, all-around game, we need to have a better game tomorrow and we will.”

Medicine Hat wraps up their series with the Hurricanes at the ENMAX Centre at 7:00 pm on Sunday night, Bob Ridley will have the call on CHAT 94.5 starting at 6:50 pm.

by Scott Roblin

Tigers offence fizzles in Saturday night defeat to Hurricanes

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