GAMEDAY PREVIEW – JAN 2 @ CALGARY
VS CALGARY: This will be the fifth meeting of the season, and the third this week between the Hitmen and the Tigers. Medicine Hat is 1-2-1-0 against the Hitmen the season, having most recently beaten the Hitmen on home ice by a 3-2 score. The Hitmen currently sit 8th in the Eastern Conference and 4th in the Central Division. Calgary’s powerplay is 19/129 on the season, which is second last in the Western Hockey League. Noah Danielson is the Tigers new scoring leading after notching his 8th of the season on Thursday. Riley Fiddler-Shultz leads the Hitmen in scoring with 14 goals and 22 assists.
2021-21 WHL RANKINGS: Record (6-20-3-1). Central Div. – 6th. Eastern Con. – 12th. Home (4-8-1-0). Away (2-12-2-1).
VS CENTRAL DIVISION: The Tigers have posted a 5-10-1-0 record this season vs Central Division opponents.
VS EAST DIVISION: The Tigers have posted a 1-10-2-1 record this season vs East Division opponents.
LAST GAME: The Medicine Hat Tigers played host to the CHL’s number one ranked team the Winnipeg ICE on Saturday night in Medicine Hat. Connor McClennon scored a pair to help pad his lead atop the WHL Scorers list as Winnipeg came away with a 6-1 victory. Reid Andresen scored in the third period to break the shutout hopes of Gage Alexander. Beckett Langkow made 21 saves and was tabbed with the loss.
MILESTONES: Corson Hopwo is closing in on his 100th career WHL point. The forward from Duncan, BC needs only five points to cross that threshold. Tigers Defenceman Dru Krebs played in his 100th career WHL game on Saturday, December 4th vs Brandon. Daniel Baker is now seven games shy of playing in his team leading 200th career WHL game. Newcomer Brendan Lee recently played in his 100th career WHL game before being dealt to the Tigers
PLAYER TO WATCH: Tyler MacKenzie was snake bitten to start the season, with no goals in 26 games played, but on game #27 the Red Deer, Alberta product got off the shnide in style. The 2004 born MacKenzie had his first career multi-goal game, including a short handed, breakaway that proved to be the game winner against the Hitmen on Thursday. MacKenzie is highly skilled forward with great instincts. He has a good shot and is elite competitor. The 17-year-old has 15 points (2G, 13A) in 27 games this season.
| CLUB LEADERS | LEADING SCORERS: | |||
| · Goals | Danielson (8) | · Noah Danielson | 8G, 8A, 16 PTS | |
| · Assists | Bogdans Hodass (13) | · Daniel Baker | 4G, 12A, 16 PTS | |
| · Points | Danielson / Baker / Hodass (16) | · Bogdans Hodass | 3G, 13A, 16 PTS | |
| · PIMs | Daniel Baker (60) | · Corson Hopwo | 7G, 8A, 15 PTS | |
| · Plus/Minus | Shtrom (0) | · Tyler MacKenzie | 2G, 13A, 15 PTS | |
| · Wins | Bjorklund (4) | · Ashton Ferster | 7G, 5A, 12 PTS | |
| ROOKIE LEADERS | · Brendan Lee | 5G, 6A, 11 PTS | ||
| · Goals | Bogdans Hodass (3) | · Oasiz Wiesblatt | 3G, 8A, 11 PTS | |
| · Assists | Bogdans Hodass (13) | · Owen MacNeil | 4G, 6A, 10 PTS | |
| · Points | Bogdans Hodass (16) | · Oren Shtrom | 6G, 3A, 9 PTS | |
| · PIMs | Bogdans Hodass (20) | · Brayden Boehm | 4G, 5A, 9 PTS | |
| · Plus/Minus | Reid Andresen (-3) | · Teague Patton | 5G, 3A, 8 PTS |
SPECIAL TEAMS:
- POWER PLAY: 25 / 116 – 21.5% – 11th
- PENALTY KILL: 102 / 132– 77.3% – 15th
TIGERS ROSTER MAKEUP: The Tigers have 25 players on the roster – 2 Goaltenders, 8 Defenceman and 15 Forwards, including 8 rookies.
AGE BREAKDOWN: 3 – 20-year-olds, 3 – 19-year-olds, 8 – 18-year-olds, 6 – 17-year-olds, 4 – 16-year-olds, 1 – 15-year-old
NHL DRAFTED / SIGNED PLAYERS: Garin Bjorklund (Washington Capitals), Dru Krebs (Washington Capitals)
TIGERS SCHEDULE:
| LAST FIVE: | RESULTS: | NEXT FIVE: | TIME: |
| vs Winnipeg ICE | 6-1 Loss | vs Moose Jaw, Sat, Jan 8 | 7:00 PM (MST) |
| vs Calgary Hitmen | 3-2 WIN | vs Edmonton, Sun, Jan 9 | 6:00 PM (MST) |
| @ Calgary Hitmen | 3-1 Loss | vs Brandon, Wed, Jan 12 | 7:00 PM (MST) |
| vs Lethbridge Hurricanes | 5-3 Loss | @ Moose Jaw, Fri, Jan 14 | 7:00 PM (MST) |
| @ Lethbridge Hurricanes | 6-4 Loss | vs Lethbridge, Sat, Jan 15 | 7:00PM (MST) |
