By Mitch Bach

Ill-struck Tigers top up Hitmen 5-4

Feb 24, 2017 | 8:43 PM

CALGARY, AB — Injury and illness didn’t stop the Medicine Hat Tigers from collecting their 43rd win of the season Friday night.

Assistant captain Steven Owre scored twice, David Quenneville finished +2 in his return from injury, and the Tabbies returned to the win column with a 5-4 victory over the Calgary Hitmen.

Jakob Stukel opened the scoring for Calgary less than five minutes into the game. But any momentum was quickly shut down with Owre’s 21st goal of the season less than four minutes later.

Tigers defenseman Brad Forrest scored his second goal of the season — first since December 2nd — and Owre collected his second of the night to give the black-and-orange a two-goal lead heading into the second period.

Stukel picked up his second goal of the night 4:19 into the middle frame to make it 3-2, but once again any momentum the Hitmen may have gained was quickly dismissed. Tyler Prezuiso netted his 4th marker of the season just 32 seconds later.

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Medicine Hat battled through a few tense moments from there on out. First with Andrea Grishakov’s second goal in two games to cut Medicine Hat’s lead to 4-3.

Mason Shaw regained the Tabbies two-goal advantage late in the second period.

Grishakov made things interesting by scoring his second of the night with just 23 seconds to go, but that’s as close as they’d get to a comeback.

Nick Schneider made 33 saves for his 31st victory of the season. He’s now tied for the most wins in the WHL.

Medicine Hat continues to battle several cases of the mumps. Defenseman Kristians Rubins and forward James Hamblin were sidelined due to the virus. On top of that, defenseman Ty Schultz continues to heal up a broken leg he sustained in mid-January.

The win improves Medicine’s record against Calgary to an undefeated 6-0. This also snaps the Hitmen’s five-game point streak. Calgary’s last regulation loss prior to tonight’s contest was February 10th, also coming against the Tigers.

Medicine Hat remains eight points up on the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the Central Division lead, however the ‘Canes have two games in hand.

The TIgers return to action Saturday night against the Brandon Wheat Kings. Prior to puck drop, Medicine Hat will retire Tom Lysiak’s famed number nine jersey. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.