By Mitch Bach

Wong scores emphatic overtime winner to eliminate Tigers in Game 7

Apr 18, 2017 | 10:54 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Medicine Hat Tigers season has come to a close.

Tyler Wong scored a legendary overtime winner shorthanded in front of a packed Canalta Centre, as the Lethbridge Hurricanes eliminated the Medicine Hat Tigers with a 5-4 victory on Tuesday.

Lethbridge will now take on the WHL’s best Regina Pats, who secured a Game 7 victory over the Swift Current Broncos on Monday night.

Wong flew down the near side of the ice, with his team killing off his team’s fifth penalty. The smooth skating winger flew into the Tigers zone, cut into the slot, and buried a goal to send the Tigers into the off-season.

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This final goal also ends hallmarked WHL careers by Tigers captain Clayton Kirichenko and assistant captains Steven Owre and Chad Butcher.

Zach Fischer roared a sold-out Canalta Centre alive with his seventh of the post-season 8:47 into the game. But it took Jordy Bellerive just nine seconds to answer back with his second of the series. 18-year-old Bellerive also scored in the ‘Canes Game 7 victory over Red Deer exactly two weeks ago. 

Wong and Egor Babenko continued the Lethbridge scoring parade in the opening period. The two top-liners cashed in less than three minutes apart to give Lethbridge a 3-1 advantage after 20 minutes.

But the Tigers came out in full force in the second period. Ryan Jevne tallied the Tigers second of the night 4:07 in. That was when Mark Rassell took control with his first of the game just over a minute later. The Calgary-product scored his second of the night on the powerplay crossing the midway mark of the frame to regain the Tigers lead.

Lethbridge had a golden opportunity to strike late in the middle period with a 52 second 5-on-3 powerplay, but couldn’t solve the Tigers netminder. Although Bullion only saw just seven shots in the second, four came on this penalty kill.

With under seven minutes to go, it looked as though Mason Shaw capitalized on a sneaky wrap-around which barely crossed the line before hitting Skinner’s pad. Referee’s took a closer look at the replay, but the initial call of no-goal couldn’t be overturned due to inconclusive evidence.

It’s eerily similar to the Tigers last Game 7 loss to the Hurricanes in 1991. Back then, Jason Miller thought he scored a critical goal for the Tigers, only to have it waved back after a video replay showed it potentially going off the post and crossbar.

Instead, 16 year-old call-up Dylan Cozens scored on a rebound to tie it up with 2:43, leading this one to be decided in overtime.

Wong’s goal came 3:02 into the extra period.

Michael Bullion made 25 saves in the loss, while Stuart Skinner saw 40 Tigers shots in the win.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

A special guest was on hand for tonight’s clash. The Tigers old, yet legendary mascot, Sideshow helped set the tone in the pregame ceremony by waving a Tigers flag at centre ice, afro and all.