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Tigers Win

May records first WHL victory in 3-2 triumph over Oil Kings

Jan 7, 2023 | 8:13 AM

Edmonton, AB–Edmonton, AB – A third period comeback saw the Medicine Hat Tigers knock off the Edmonton Oil Kings for the 3rd time this season 3-2 Friday night at Rogers Place.

It was a stalemate through the 1st 20 minutes as the Tigers tried to get into the swing of things coming off the bus as shots were dead even at 10-10 with the Tigers getting one opportunity on the power play but couldn’t solve Edmonton goaltender Colby Hay.

Off to the second period where it didn’t take long for the home side to open the scoring as Rilen Kovacevic would score his 9th of the season beating Tigers starter Evan May (Nanaimo, BC) on a break-away just 30 seconds into the middle frame.

Off to the second period where it didn’t take long for the home side to open the scoring as Rilen Kovacevic would score his 9th of the season beating Tigers starter Evan May (Nanaimo, BC) on a break-away just 30 seconds into the middle frame.

Medicine Hat would strike right back at 5:16 as Dru Krebs (Okotoks, AB) would score his 4th of the year beating Hay far side on the glove to even things up at 1-1. Brayden Boehm (Nanaimo, BC) & Pasha Bocharov (Escondido, CA) would make help on the assist department. The Oil Kings would respond at 8:40 as on a power play Nathan Pilling would score on a rebound to regain the Edmonton lead of 2-1 which would give the Oil Kings their first lead after 40 minutes against the Tigers this season. Heading into the third shots read 25-23 Edmonton.

But the Tigers poured it on in the third as on their third power play of the night Boehm would score his 15th on a scramble in front of Hay after a Brenden Lee (Seattle, WA) point shot to tie the game at 2-2 just 3:18 into the period. Shane Smith (Cessford, AB) would chip in with a secondary assist on the Boehm goal. The Tigers would complete their comeback late in the third as Bocharov would re-direct another shot from Krebs for his 7th of the season at 17:08 from Krebs and Oazis Wiesblatt (Calgary, AB). Despite numerous attempts to draw even from the defend WHL Champions, Evan May would come up big making 29 saves for his first WHL win in his career helping insure the victory Friday.

Medicine Hat were busy in the third firing 13 shots at Kolby Hay on route to outshooting the Oil Kings 36-31, while going 1/4 on the power play and 2/3 on the penalty kill.

Next up for the Tigers is a rematch from their New Year’s Eve game against Swift Current with a change of scenery as they’ll host the Broncos Saturday night at Co-op Place. It will be the team’s RE/MAX Presents: Nickelodeon Night for Children’s Miracle Network where the Tigers will be wearing specialized Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles jerseys against Swift Current.