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By Scott Roblin

Goal-asiz Wiesblatt

Wiesblatt’s first career hat-trick helps Tigers rebound over Raiders

Jan 22, 2022 | 9:58 PM

PRINCE ALBERT, SK – Even though he didn’t get the chance to face-off against his older brother Saturday, it was still a night to remember for Oasiz Wiesblatt.

The Medicine Hat Tigers’ spark plug of a forward netted his first career WHL hat-trick in Prince Albert to help the black and orange end a four-game slide with a 6-4 victory to close out the weekend.

It was a big response for Medicine Hat after being blown out 9-2 by Saskatoon the evening prior, allowing nine consecutive Blades goals after taking an early 2-0 lead.

Luckily for the Tigers, they didn’t have to face Prince Albert’s top weapon on Saturday as leading scorer Ozzy Wiesblatt was not in the lineup.

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His younger brother Oasiz was able to stake the Tigers to a 1-0 lead roughly 12 minutes into the game, finishing off a pass from Noah Danielson with a quick move to the backhand.

After struggling on special teams the night before, Medicine Hat allowed the tying goal while short handed later in the first period with Evan Herman potting his 15th of the season.

Tigers forward Brendan Lee was able to tip a point shot by Reid Andresen past Raiders netminder Tikhon Chaika four minutes into the second frame to restore Medicine Hat’s lead.

A lead that lasted all of 18 seconds however, as the Raiders came back up the ice with Herman one-timing a cross-ice seam pass from Tayem Gislason to knot things up at 2-2.

That was followed up less than two minutes later with Nolan Allen putting a shot on net, which was whacked into the open cage by Zachary Wilson for Prince Albert’s first lead of the night.

Just as the Raiders started to roll, momentum shifted back into the Tigers’ favour with Gleb Ivanov dropping off a pass to Danielson who ripped a shot clear past Chaika.

Prince Albert’s Harrison Lodewyk and Medicine Hat’s Ivanov exchanged goals before the second intermission, capping off a wild second frame that saw six combined tallies.

Tied 4-4 in the third period, Lee was able to send a cross-ice pass of his own to Wiesblatt for his second of the night 3:33 into the period for the go-ahead goal for Medicine Hat.

Wiesblatt added on an empty-net goal with Prince Albert pressing late to complete the hat-trick, giving the Tigers just their second victory of the new year.

Along with Wiesblatt’s three-goal performance, the Tigers also got multi-point efforts out of Andresen, Danielson, Ivanov and Lee on Saturday.

After being pulled in each of his last two games, Garin Bjorklund held down the fort over the final 20 minutes to record his sixth win of the year with a 31-save showing.

The Tigers will look for a bit of revenge against Saskatoon on Tuesday night, as they return home to battle the Blades at 7:00 pm.