By Erin Schwab - Medicine Hat Tigers

GAME NOTES: Tigers duel with Oil Kings to open WHL playoffs Saturday

Mar 23, 2019 | 4:03 PM

EDMONTON, AB – For the 40th time in franchise history, the Medicine Hat Tigers will advance to the WHL Playoffs. The Tigers finished the regular season in fourth place in the Central Division with a 35-27-4-2 record. The last time the Tabbies finished fourth in the division was the 2012-13 season where they fell in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final Series to the Oil Kings. During the regular season, the Orange and Black were led by veteran forwards James Hamblin with 77 points (33G, 44A) and Ryan Jevne with 68 points (32G, 36A).

Tigers vs. Oil Kings

During the 2018-19 season, the Tigers posted a 1-3-2-0 record against the Oil Kings. The Tabbies’ lone victory was January 16th, 2019, when they won 4-3 in a shootout. These two Central Division Rivals have had a few recent postseason battles. They met in the 2016 Tie Breaker game with the Oil Kings winning 6-4 and the last time they faceoff in a playoff series was the Conference Final in 2014. The Oil Kings won the series 4-1 and they went on to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup that year.

View from Edmonton

The Edmonton Oil Kings finished first in the Central Division for the first time since the 2013-14 season and for the fourth time in their franchise history. The Oil Kings finished the regular season with a 42-18-4-4 record and their captain Trey Fix-Wolansky led the team with 102 points (37G, 65A).

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Tigers Talent

Dylan MacPherson is a hard-working shut down defenceman in his third season with the Orange and Black. The 20-year-old Redcliff product is a calm, steady presence on the Tigers’ young blueline. MacPherson is a smart player and a great skater with a terrific first step. Look for him to make an impact on both ends of the ice in tonight’s contest.

Captain’s Corner

Captain James Hamblin was drafted by the Tigers in the first round of the 2014 bantam draft and since then he has suited up for 261 regular season games, scored 79 goals and picked up 113 assists. The 19-year-old Edmonton product also has 5 points (2G, 3A) in 11 games played during the 2017 WHL playoffs. Hamblin is a hard-working, speedy two-way forward who will look to create scoring lanes in tonight’s tilt.

Career Highs

The following Tigers set new career highs in goals and assists

James Hamblin (33G, 44A)

Ryan Jevne (32G, 36A)

Brett Kemp (33G, 27A)

Trevor Longo (5G, 8A)

Tyler Preziuso (21G, 29A)

Linus Nassen (7G, 39A)

Cole Clayton (4G, 16A)

Ryan Chyzowski set new career highs in goals (27) and points (55)

Elijah Brown set new career highs in goals (11) and points (26)

Baxter Anderson set new career highs in goals (4) and points (7)

Hayden Ostir set a new career high in goals (11)

Bryan Lockner set a new career high in assists (17)

New Kids on the Block

Logan Christensen joined the Tigers October 25, 2018, and he scored his first goal as a Tiger Oct 26, 2018, vs Regina. Christensen scored 7 goals and picked up 15 assists in 67 games played this season. Out of those 22 points, he scored 6 games and picked up 13 assists in 54 games with the Orange and Black.

Brett Kemp became a Tiger at the trade deadline and he scored his first goal for his new team Jan 11, 2019, vs Regina. Kemp scored 33 goals and picked up 27 assists this season in 64 games. In the 24 games as a Tiger, Kemp netted 11 goals and picked up 10 assists.

Youth Movement

Our Tigers Rookies contributed to the success of the season putting up a combined total of 15 goals and 36 assists during the regular season.

Corson Hopwo (6G, 11A)

Daniel Baker (2G, 15A)

Nick McCarry (3G, 3A)

Eric Van Impe (2G, 4A)

Jaxon Steele (2G, 3A)

Protecting the Paint

During the regular season:

Mads Søgaard had 19-8-2-2 record with a 2.64 GAA and a .921 SV%

Jordan Hollett sported a 14-19-2-0 record with a 3.50 GAA and a .895 SV%