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Foote completes Rockets comeback, Tigers fall in OT

Jan 26, 2018 | 9:08 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB —For the second straight game, the Medicine Hat Tigers surrendered a two-goal third period lead to find themselves in overtime.

Only this time, the end result didn’t go their way.

Captain Cal Foote scored the overtime winner for the Kelowna Rockets in a 4-3 victory Friday at the Canalta Centre, handing the Orange and Black their fourth straight loss at home.

Mark Rassell scored a pair of goals for the Tabbies, while Jaeger White also found the scoresheet. Michael Bullion stood on his head several times in a 33 save performance.

Medicine Hat collects a single point for the loss in OT, now sporting a 25-19-6-0 record to remain six points clear of Lethbridge for the Central Division lead. 

Leif Mattson, Kole Lind, and Conner Bruggen-Cate also scored for the visiting Rockets, who improve to 31-14-2-0 on year and in firm control of the B.C. Division lead.

It didn’t take long for the Tigers captain to leave his mark. Just 42 seconds in, Rassell potted his 40th of the season on a 200-foot play involving Dave Quenneville and Michael Bullion. 241 seconds later, the Calgary-product struck again, this time corralling a loose rebound in the crease for his 41st of the year.

Rassell is on a very short list of elite goal scorers in the WHL. Only Jayden Halbgewachs of Moose Jaw (51) and Ty Ronning of Vancouver (42) have more goals.

Kelowna cut the Tigers lead in half with just 15 seconds to go. Mattson finished a hard-fought individual effort by going through the wickets of Michael Bullion for the visiting team’s first of the night. 

Jaeger White scored the lone goal in a fast-paced second period of play. The step-son to Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston finished a pretty passing play by Gary Haden and Elijah Brown — his eighth of the season.

Tigers forward Tyler Prezuiso blocked a high shot from his own defenceman midway through the second. After skating off, the ’99-born was led into the dressing room by athletic therapist Mikki Lanuk and did not return. 

A high-paced fourty minutes of play also saw a couple glove-drops. Late in the first, Tigers rookie Baxter Anderson led a spirited scrap with 6’5″ winger Wil Kushniryk just outside the two benches. Then with under a minute left in the second, assistant captains Ryan Jevne and James Hilsendager lined up one another to the left of Salmond. Both veterans brought the Canalta Centre to it’s feet with several exchanged blows.

Kelowna scored a pair of quick goals in the third by Kole Lind and Conner Bruggen-Cate. Lind leads the Rockets with 67 points on the year. Bruggen-Cate’s tally came with James Hamblin serving a 4:00 high-sticking penalty. The two markers tied the game, forcing the Tigers second straight trip to extra time.

Foote’s overtime winner came 3:01 into the extra frame. 

Medicine Hat lacked the help of defenceman Dylan MacPherson and Linus Nassen. MacPherson missed his second straight game due to illness while Nassen is nursing a broken bone near his wrist and hopes to return in mid to late-Feb. 

Meanwhile, the Rockets were without Calgary Flames prospect Dillon Dube, who’s sidelined with an apparent injury according to Rockets play-by-play man Regan Bartel.

Medicine Hat’s next opponent is sure to be a test. WHL-leading Moose Jaw is Hat-bound Saturday night, fresh off an overtime win of their own in Lethbridge. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.