SPECIAL TEAMS HURT TIGERS IN 4-3 LOSS TO WARRIORS
Medicine Hat, AB – Special teams were the story Saturday night as the Moose Jaw Warriors defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-3 at Co-op Place Saturday night.
A busy first period for the Tiger penalty kill would see eight minutes in infractions from the home side but they were able to keep the Warriors at bay with a double minor kill early in the first period to keep things all square at 0-0. But it would be the Warriors opening the scoring on a Tiger power play, as Brayden Yager would score his 4th of the season from Jagger Firkus at 15:21 for the shorthanded lead of 1-0.
Medicine Hat would respond after a penalty call and respond with their 4th shorthanded goal of the season as Hunter St.Martin (Edmonton, AB) would hit paydirt and score his first goal of the season unassisted at 18:05. The Tigers would outshoot the Warriors 111-5 after 20.
Special teams would continue to be the story heading to the second period as Shane Smith (Cessford, AB) would get his 6th of the season on a Tiger power play from Tomas Mrsic (Surrey, BC) & Oasiz Wiesblatt (Calgary, AB) at 8:02. Moose Jaw would tie it on another Warrior power play as Kalem Parker would one-time his first of the season to make it 2-2. On another power play, Martin Rysavy would respond winning a battle in front of the Tigers net beating starter Evan May (Nanaimo, BC) to give Moose Jaw’s second lead of the game at 3-2.
Medicine Hat would try to respond on a power play of their own but Brayden Yager would take advantage for his second goal of the night on another shorthanded chance at 15:12 to double the Warrior lead to 4-2.
Despite the Tigers outshooting the Warriors 25-17 through two, a late shot from Matt Paranych would slide through Jackson Unger but cleared by Lucas Brenton kept the deficit at 4-2 heading to the third.
In the third period the Tigers and Warriors would go back and forth with saves at both ends from Jackson Ungar & Evan May but the Tigers would get one back late in third as Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) would finally push the puck past Ungar to make it a 4-3 game at 13:36.
With the goalie to the bench the Tigers put up a relentless attack but couldn’t get the equalizer, falling to the Warriors 4-3.
The Tigers would go to outshoot the Warriors 34-22, while the power play went 1/3 and the penalty kill was 4/6.
Next up for the Tiger, they begin their BC Division road trip next Saturday in Kelowna.
The next Tigers home game goes October 27, against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
*(Photo Courtesy of Randy Feere)
