COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AS TIGERS FALL 6-5

The Tigers hosted their first home game in two weeks on Saturday night when they welcomed the Calgary Hitmen. Each game in the season series has been a hard fought battle with no victory larger than two goals. On the season the Tigers hold a 1-3-1-0 record against their Trans Canada Highway rivals.

Medicine Hat scored the lone goal of the opening period. Owen MacNeil potted his sixth of the season at the midway point of the frame. Daniel Baker’s shot deflected off a Calgary defender to MacNeil in the slot, where he was able to wrist it home to give the Tigers an early lead. Logan Barlage also picked an assist on the opening goal.

Calgary would respond in the second period with a pair of goals to head into the final period up 2-1. Early in the second, Sean Tschigerl had the puck in the right corner and found Brandon Whynott at the faceoff dot. Whynott skated in and let a wrister go blocker side to even things up. The Hitmen would take the lead four minutes later when Anton Yatsyshin sped up the right wing and snapped home his third goal of the season high blocker.

The Hitmen came out strong in the third period and took a commanding lead with three consecutive goals to open the final period. Zack Funk scored an unassisted goal two minutes in when he dangled the defencemen and finished with a nice deke. Garin Bjorklund got a piece of the puck but it flipped over his shoulder to put the Hitmen up 3-1. Calgary added to their lead at the midway point. Blake Allan came down the left wing and threw it toward the net where Blake Stevenson was there to tap in his 16^th of the season. The Hitmen would increase their lead to four goals just over a minute later. Blake Heward let a slap shot go from the point and Anton Astaschevich redirected the puck into the net from in front. Despite being down, the Tigers never gave up. They cut the lead with a little over five minutes left. Brendan Lee found Logan Barlage in the slot with a drop pass. Barlage snapped home his ninth of the season and first in front of the home town fans since coming over at the trade deadline. Seconds later, Mason Finley scored his first career WHL goal to reinstate the Hitmen’s four goal lead.  Finley let a wrister go from the top of the circle that found the netting high blocker side. The Tigers would respond once again with three goals in a span of 70 seconds. Rhett Parson started the comeback when the skated the puck in from the blue line and let a wrister go from the faceoff circle. His shot beat the goalie on the short side for his third of the season. Before they were done announcing the previous goal, Teague Patton made it a two goal game with his seventh. The Tigers were able to intercept a clearing attempt to keep it in and Brayden Boehm found Patton on the back door with a nice pass that he was able to tap in. With only 28 seconds remaining, Logan Barlage made it 6-5 game with his second of the period. After a battle in the corner, Owen MacNeil found Daniel Baker at the point. Baker threw the puck on net and Barlage was able to get in front and put home the rebound. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Tigers would be able to come before the final whistle and the game ended in a 6-5 victory for the Hitmen.

Garin Bjorklund (6-18-2-0) got the start in net for the Tigers. He saved 17 of the 22 shots he faced before being pulled late in the third. Beckett Langkow (2-8-1-1) came on in relief and made 7 saves on 8 shots.

Three Stars:

1. Sean Tschigerl – Calgary Hitmen
2. Anton Yatsyshin – Calgary Hitmen
3. Logan Barlage – Medicine Hat Tigers

The Tigers’ next game is Sunday, January 30^th when the Tigers host the Red Deer Rebels at Co-op Place. Game time is 6:00 (MST) and tickets are available online at tixx.ca.