By Erin Schwab - Medicine Hat Tigers

GAME NOTES: Tigers hit the road to battle Hurricanes

Feb 22, 2019 | 12:59 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB — The Medicine Hat Tigers are heading down Highway 3 to start a home-and-home series with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The game begins at the ENMAX Centre at 7 p.m., and Bob Ridley will have the call on CHAT 94.5 FM

The Story Coming In

The Medicine Hat Tigers have been busy this month playing 8 games over the course of 13 days and only 2 of those games were at home. The Tigers are 4-4-0-0 in those 8 games and 31-22-3-2 overall this season. This weekend they play a home and home series with division rivals the Lethbridge Hurricanes starting tonight in Lethbridge before returning home to Medicine Hat tomorrow. The Orange and Black are led by veteran forwards James Hamblin with 68 points (32G, 36A), Ryan Jevne with 55 points (26G, 29A) and Brett Kemp with 48 points (27G, 21A).

Tigers vs. Hurricanes

For the third time, this season the Tigers and the Hurricanes will face off in a home and home series. These two Central Division clubs have met a total of six times already this weekend and will meet twice more in March. Medicine Hat is 3-3-0-0 against Lethbridge this season and their most recent victory was a 5-4 shootout win December 30th, 2018. Ryan Jevne scored the game-winning goal in the fourth round of the shootout while Jordan Hollett made 36 saves on 40 shots before stopping 3 of the 4 shooters faced during the shootout.

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View from Lethbridge

The Lethbridge Hurricanes defeated the Kootenay ICE 5-2 on Monday afternoon. The Hurricanes are 5-2-1-1 in the month of February and 30-17-5-5 overall this season. 2019 NHL Draft Eligible Dylan Cozens and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Jordy Bellerive have been the most dangerous players for the Hurricanes against the Tigers this season with 8 points in 6 games each. (Cozens has 5G, 3A and Bellerive has 3G, 5A).

Tigers Talent

Tyler Preziuso is a smart, tenacious forward with good hand to eye who is having a banner year for the Tigers already setting new career highs in goals and assists. The 19-year-old Victoria native is a smooth skater with an explosive first step. Preziuso has been playing on the top line with James Hamblin this season and they have developed a lot of chemistry together. Look for Preziuso and his line to make an impact in tonight’s contest.

Captain’s Corner

Captain James Hamblin has been the Tigers’ top point producer all season while setting new career highs in goals (32) and points (68). Hamblin is tied with Linus Nassen for most assists on the team (36) and he is only 7 assists away from matching his career high of 43 set last season. The 19-year-old Edmonton product is a speedy, hard-working, two-way forward who leads his team by example. Hamblin is also ranked 12th in the league for scoring and he is tied in 2nd for most first goals of the game (9).

Quick Hits

-Mads Søgaard has been ranked 3rd among North American goalies in the NHL Central Scouting Midterm ranking.

-Søgaard is also ranked 4th in the WHL among goalies with 2.46 GAA and 0.927 save percentage.

-Brett Kemp has been ranked 156th among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Midterm ranking.

-Linus Nassen is ranked 12th in the league amongst defencemen for scoring with 41 points (5G, 36A).

-James Hamblin has 10 points (4G, 6A) in 6 games played against the Hurricanes this season.

-Daniel Baker is the Tigers top point producing rookie with 16 points (2G, 14A).

-Baxter Anderson played his 99th career WHL game on Monday against the Oil Kings and he is expected to play his 100th career game tonight.

-The Tigers continue their scoring by committee approach with all 20 skaters lighting the lamp at least once to score the team’s 184 goals.

-Three Tigers prospects are competing in the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Cole Sillinger and Ashton Ferster are playing for Team Saskatchewan while Aidan Brook is playing for Team Manitoba.