CLARKWATCH: Follow news and updates regarding sanctions on Mayor Clark.

Tigers stave off elimination with 5-2 win, force Game 7

Apr 16, 2017 | 9:06 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Tigers scored three power play goals, Matt Bradley had a pair of markers, and John Dahlstrom and Mason Shaw both had three points as Medicine Hat staved off elimination with a 5-2 win over Lethbridge in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series Sunday.

Max Gerlach, or “The Texas Ranger” as he’s quickly becoming known due to his sharpshooting skills, opened up the scoring in Game 6 at the 5:13 mark on the power play to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead after two consecutive Lethbridge penalties gave Medicine Hat a two-man advantage.

Egor Babenko would square things up less than five minutes later though with his 5th goal of the playoffs and 7th point of the series.

More discipline issues for Lethbridge in the first led to Bradley regaining the lead for the black and orange with the man advantage after Tanner Nagel was called for checking from behind. Bradley’s first of the series came after a fluttering puck snuck over Stuart Skinner’s left shoulder, the ‘Canes goalie not knowing where it was until the Tigers began celebrating.

But like he had earlier in the period Babenko tied things up with his second of the game less than two minutes after Bradley’s goal, this time with Ryan Jevne in the box because of a holding penalty. The assist on Babenko’s goal came from ‘Canes captain Tyler Wong who found the Russian camping out beside an empty cage with a cross-ice pass.

A scoreless second meant it was the goalies’ time to shine, as Skinner stopped 14 shots from the Tigers and Michael Bullion denied 9.

In the final frame another power play goal by the Tigers put Medicine Hat up 3-2. Steven Owre kept his stick in one spot on the ice and Chad Butcher hit it square-on, deflecting the puck past Skinner into the back of the net. The goal would wind up being the game winner.

After Owre’s third of the postseason the Tigers scored their first even man goal of the game when a Clayton Kirichenko point-shot bounced into Bradley’s path to the right of Skinner allowing the Surrey, BC product to pot his second of the contest — doubling his goal total for the playoffs in less than sixty minutes.

From there on out it was the Bullion show. The Alaskan goalie took away a sure goal from Jordy Bellerive with under seven minutes to play as the former second overall pick stared down a half open net, but bounced the puck off Bullion’s well positioned pad.

Then Bullion shut the door on a couple occasions during a ‘Canes power play with time winding down.

Bullion didn’t allow a goal in the final forty minutes turning away 22 shots while finishing the night with 24 saves in total. Skinner meanwhile ended the evening with 32 shots stopped.

A Dahlstrom empty netter sealed the deal giving the Swede three points in the game, setting the stage for a final showdown in the Highway 3 rivalry Tuesday night.

Game 7 at the Canalta Centre is set to start at 7 pm.