By Mitch Bach

WHL hockey

Chyzowski, Tigers erase two-goal deficit, beat ‘Canes in shootout to open season

Sep 20, 2019 | 10:00 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB — Willie Desjardins’ tenure in orange and black begins with a come-from-behind victory against their closest rival in a shootout.

Alternate captain Ryan Chyzowski notched the game-tying marker, and shootout-winner as the Medicine Hat Tigers opened the 2019-20 regular season with a 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Enmax Centre on Friday night.

Lethbridge will seek revenge in the Tigers home opener on Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop at the Canalta Centre.

Medicine Hat, who went 2-2 in pre-season play, overcame a two-goal third-period deficit to improve to 1-0-0-0 on the early campaign. Lethbridge falls to 0-0-0-1.

Mads Søgaard stopped 34 of 37 shots through regulation and overtime, while his counter-part, Carl Tetachuk was busier, making 48 saves in defeat.

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Lethbridge-product D-Jay Jerome opened the scoring with 11 seconds remaining in the first period, giving the ‘Canes a 1-0 lead. Dino Kambeitz, who was originally credited with the opening marker, added to Lethbridge’s lead 10:31 into the second period.

Less than two minutes later, rookie Cole Sillinger struck on the powerplay — the Tabbies first goal of the 2019-20 season. Fitting in a way, seeing the 2018 first-round pick is often touted as a future star in the WHL.

Jacob Boucher regained the Hurricanes two-goal lead with an early third-period marker, but two Tigers alternate captains answered the bell to square up the game.

Bryan Lockner cut the deficit to one with just over 10 minutes to play, and Ryan Chyzowski squared the game at 3-3 less than two minutes later. Rookie import Jonathan Brinkman notched his first career point on Lockner’s tally collecting the lone assist.

After overtime solved nothing, Medicine Hat deployed Hamblin, Brett Kemp, and Chyzowski, in that order, in the shootout. All three scored on their attempts, while Søgaard stood tall against winger Zack Stringer on the ‘Canes third attempt.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE