By Scott Roblin

Tigers outlast Kootenay in six-round shootout, move to second in Central

Oct 13, 2018 | 10:56 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Home finally seems to be where the heart is for the Medicine Hat Tigers, winning their second straight game at the Canalta Centre on Saturday night.

It was a marathon on Saturday, but the Tigers were able to sneak by the Kootenay ICE 4-3 in a lengthy shootout.

Kootenay pressed Tigers starter Jordan Hollett hard in the first period with 12 shots, but the third-year net minder stood tall to keep the game scoreless after the first period.

That changed just three minutes into the second period as Tyler Preziuso fed Hayden Ostir in the slot, who ripped home his third goal of the season to break the deadlock for Medicine Hat.

ICE rookie phenom Connor McClennon had a great chance on Hollett just minutes later on a breakaway, but was stoned by the Langley, B.C. native to keep the Tigers ahead 1-0 at the intermission.

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Passive defending would cost the Tigers early in the third however, as Linus Nassen and Dylan MacPherson let Davis Murray slip into the slot uncontested.

Brendan Semchuk was able to locate the stick of Murray, who sniped on Hollett to knot the contest up at 1-1 with 18:03 remaining.

A too many men penalty shortly after would put Medicine Hat on their fifth power play of the evening and midway through the man advantage it was the captain striking.

Hopping on a rebound in the slot, James Hamblin was able to beat ICE goalie Jesse Makaj for his fifth goal of the season and a 2-1 Tigers lead with 16:07 left in regulation.

But a familiar face would sour that moment for Medicine Hat, as minutes later former Tiger Jaeger White launched a shot from long distance that fooled Hollett to tie the game up once again.

Things went from bad to worse for the Tigers near the midway mark of the period, giving up another goal to ICE rookie Jakin Smallwood in the slot to give Kootenay their first lead 3-2.

Just as the Canalta Centre began to fall quiet in the final five minutes, Ryan Chyzowski got the crowd back on their feet with a timely marker with just over four minutes left.

White had a chance to gain some revenge against his former team after being sprung on a breakaway with two minutes left, but Hollett came through with his biggest stop of the night to keep the game tied.

Overtime was needed, but despite power play opportunities for each side nothing was decided after five minutes.

Medicine Hat got some timely saves from Hollett in the shootout, while it took Ryan Jevne until the sixth round to finally put a ribbon on Saturday’s contest that lasted close to three hours.

Hollett finished his night with a 32-save performance to earn his third victory of the year, while Preziuso led the way with a three-assist night.

Gary Haden was also not listed on Medicine Hat’s roster ahead of Saturday’s contest, a day after being listed as a scratch against the Prince George Cougars.

Medicine Hat ends the weekend with a 5-5-0-1 record and have jumped into second place in the Central Division, though the Tigers, Red Deer Rebels, and Edmonton Oil Kings all have 11 points.

They will wrap up their current home stand on Friday night, as they welcome the Lethbridge Hurricanes to town at 7:30 pm.