Tigers Defeat Silvertips 7-3 To Extend Streak To 11
The Tigers headed to Everett on Wednesday night to take on the Silvertips in a battle of conference leaders. The Tigers were riding high off of a win in Wenatchee the previous night that extended their win streak to 10.
The two teams spent the opening minutes feeling each other out, but the Silvertips would open up the scoring 9:12 into the first. Carter Bear lost the puck in front of the net but was able to reach back and tap it into the open net. It was Bear’s 33rd goal of the season to move him into second in the league. Jesse Heslop and Tarin Smith found the scoresheet with the assists.
The Tigers would respond before the end of the opening frame. On the delayed penalty, Hunter St. Martin skated down the right wing and let a shot go as he charged towards the net. His shot was stopped but Shaeffer Gordon–Carroll followed up and buried the rebound for his sixth of the season. Tanner Molendyk picked up the extra helper on the tying goal.
We didn’t have to wait long for the next Tigers goal as they scored 58 seconds later. Mathew Ward found Marcus Pacheco at the left circle where he let a wrister go. His shot beat the goalie through the five-hole. St. Martin also picked up an assist on Pacheco’s ninth to give him two on the night.
Medicine Hat carried the momentum over into the second period. Down a man to start the period, Oasiz Wiesblatt grabbed the puck at center ice and speed down the right wing. He found Gavin McKenna with a great pass through the lane that he tapped in for his 23rd of the season. Josh Van Mulligen picked up the secondary assist for his 50th career point.
Everett cut the lead back to one early in the third period. Dominik Rymon let a big one timer go from the high slot that found the back of the net for his 24th of the campaign. Smith and former Tigers captain Tyler MacKenzie picked up the helpers on the goal.
Moments later, the Tigers responded with a power play marker. McKenna found Bryce Pickford all alone at the left circle with the backdoor pass. Pickford let a one timer go that lit the lamp for this 20th of the season to lead all WHL defencemen. Molendyk found the scoresheet again with his second assist of the night.
The Tigers special teams struck again while down a skater. McKenna striped the puck at center ice and head out on a breakaway. He beat the Silvertips goaltender blocker side with a quick wrister for his second of the game. The Tigers lead the WHL with 14 shorthanded goals on the season.
Medicine Hat’s offence kept on rolling as minutes later they made it a 6-2 game with a little over half a period left to play. Ethan Neutens took the puck behind the net and found Jonas Woo out in front. Woo got a quick shot off that beat the netminder on the blocker side.
McKenna finished off his strong night with his second hat trick of the season. Deep in the corner, Wiesblatt let a long pass go to find McKenna at the right circle. He let a wrister go that beat the goalie low on the glove side for this 25th of the season.
Despite being down five goals, the Silvertips kept pressuring and were able to get one more in the final minute of play. Heslop found Cole Temple on the left side of the goal for a one timer that found the netting over the goalie’s shoulder. The goal was Temple’s 12th of the year.
Harrison Meneghin won his sixth straight game in net for the Tigers. He stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced. Jesse Sanche was in net for the Silvertips, saving 15 of 22 shots. It was only his fifth loss in 26 games this season.
Shots:
- Medicine Hat – 22
- Everett – 30
Special Teams:
- PP: 1/2 – 50%
- PK: 4/4 – 100%
Stringam Law Three Stars:
- Gavin McKenna – Medicine Hat
- Tanner Molendyk – Medicine Hat
- Hunter St. Martin – Medicine Hat
Supplement King Hardest Working Player: Oasiz Wiesblatt
The Tigers are back in action Friday night when they head to Portland to take on the Winterhawks at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Game time is 8:00 PM (MST). You can listen live on Wild 94.5 FM or watch on watch.chl.ca.