Hurricanes Doubled 6-3 by Tigers
Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes welcomed the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday at the ENMAX Centre in hopes of returning to the win column, but it was the Tigers who earned a 6-3 victory.
It was a tough start to the game for the Hurricanes who were penalized just three seconds into the game as Logan Barlage was assessed a high-sticking penalty. On the ensuing power play, the Tigers opened the scoring as Nick McCarry tipped home his fifth of the year to make it 1-0 Medicine Hat just 1:17 into the game. The ‘Canes answered with a power play goal of their own when Zack Stringer stuffed home his fourth of the year just over six minutes later to make it 1-1. Medicine Hat pulled back ahead with another special teams’ goal as Cole Clayton scored his sixth of the year to make it 2-1 Tigers. Just 39-seconds later, the ‘Canes answered with yet another power play goal as Justin Hall – who celebrated his 20th birthday – scored his team-leading seventh of the year to even the game 2-2 after twenty minutes. Hurricanes outshot the Tigers 14-11 in the first period.
The Hurricanes continued to pepper the Tigers rookie netminder Beckett Langkow in the second period as the ‘Canes outshot Medicine Hat 13-10 in the middle frame. The Tigers, however, did all the scoring in the second period as they added three goals. First, Corson Hopwo netted his second goal in as many nights at the 4:41 mark to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. Medicine Hat added a shorthanded goal by Lukas Svejkovsky; after that goal Carl Tetachuk replaced Bryan Thomson in the Hurricanes net. Tigers added another goal by Brett Kemp in the final minute to give Medicine Hat a 5-2 lead after forty minutes of play.
In the third period, the Hurricanes continued to control the game five-on-five generating chances. The ‘Canes struck on a power play as Dino Kambeitz potted his second goal of the season to make it a 5-3 game; Liam Kindree and Logan McCutcheon earned the assists on the goal. Lethbridge continued to press but could not solve Langkow as the Tigers added an empty-net goal to seal a 6-3 victory.
Lethbridge outshot Medicine Hat 41-28 in the contest – just the second time this season the Hurricanes outshot the opponent. The ‘Canes went 3/8 on the power play while the Tigers were 2/5 with the extra man.
Three stars of the game:
1) Tigers – #21 Brett Kemp (1 goal, 1 assist)
2) ‘Canes – #11 Dino Kambeitz (1 goal)
3) Tigers – #35 Beckett Langkow (38-saves)
The loss for the Hurricanes was their fourth straight defeat as they have gone 0-3-1-0 in that span. The ‘Canes now sit with a 3-6-1-0 record on the season and have dropped six consecutive games against the Tigers dating back to last season.
The Hurricanes will visit the Tigers in the finale of the three-game weekend again tomorrow at 6:00pm at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat. The game can be streamed on WHL LIVE on the new CHL TV or heard on 106.7 ROCK.
