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By Scott Roblin

Sour Sixteen

Bedard torches Tigers as Medicine Hat’s winless streak runs to 16

Dec 8, 2021 | 9:48 PM

REGINA, SK – Tough times aren’t uncommon in a WHL season, but the times the Medicine Hat Tigers are living through right now are borderline excruciating.

Sixteen straight losses have plagued the black and orange after facing the wrath of Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats on Wednesday night.

Bedard had two goals and an assist in his final game before heading to Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming World Juniors, powering past the Tigers by a 4-2 final score.

Medicine Hat came close for the second night in a row, but once again were silenced by a late empty-net goal this time scored by Regina’s Cole Carrier to seal it.

Bedard opened the scoring for Regina with 6:28 remaining in the first period, as a centring pass from the phenom hit Tigers defenceman Gleb Ivanov and carried past the goal line for the unlucky tally.

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That 1-0 Pats lead stuck around until the second frame when Bedard added his second of the night, this time receiving a pass from Tanner Howe and shifting to his backhand to bury it in tight.

A late power play opportunity in the second proved to be just what the Tabbies needed, as a Lukas Svejkovsky one-timer off the end boards was picked up by Noah Danielson at the side of the net to get the Tigers on the board before the intermission.

Just as penalties went in Medicine Hat’s favour in the second, it swung back towards the Pats in the third frame with a 5-on-3 power play.

Regina’s top-three power play in the league was quick to strike, with Borya Valis restoring the two-goal lead for the home side.

Danielson netted his second goal of the evening on the man advantage with under five minutes left to give Medicine Hat some life, pulling Garin Bjorklund for the extra skater in the process.

But with 23 seconds remaining, Carrier iced it with the empty-net goal to prolong the Tigers’ historic losing streak.

With their 16 straight losses, the now 4-16-3-1 Tigers sit 10 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with just over a third of the season completed.

Just one opponent dots the weekend schedule for Medicine Hat, as they get set to battle against the Red Deer Rebels on the road Saturday night at 7:00 pm.