Tigers Defuse Rockets 5-2
The Tigers hosted the Kelowna Rockets on Tuesday night in their lone meeting of the season. It also marks the first time that Marcus Pacheco and Ethan Neutens have faced off against their former team.
Hayden Paupanekis broke the scoreless tie midway through the first period with his 20th of the season. Paupanekis got loose and went in on a breakaway. He got off a backhand and lit the lamp to give the Rockets an early lead. Jakub Stancl picked up the helper on the opening goal.
The Tigers would tie the game a few minutes later. Markus Ruck let a wrister go from the right side. It deflected off a Rockets defender in the slot and found the back of the net. Josh Van Mulligen and Shaeffer Gordon–Carroll grabbed the assists on Ruck’s eighth of the season.
The Rockets’ power play would retake the lead in the final minute of the opening frame. Kayden Longley found Paupanekis in front of the net with a pass from the corner. Paupanekis put a shot on net that was stopped but he was able to tap in his own rebound for his second of the night. Former Tiger Nate Corbet picked up the secondary assist on the special teams goal.
Liam Ruck scored an emphatic goal late in the second period to even the game back up at two apiece. Marcus Pacheco had the puck in the high slot and swung it over to Liam Ruck low on the left side. Ruck let a big one timer go on the from just above the goal line that rippled the twine. Oasiz Wiesblatt found the scoresheet with the secondary helper on Ruck’s 20th of the season.
The Tigers’ offence took over in the third period. With 12:40 remaining, Liam Ruck let a wrister go from the blue line that found it’s way through traffic to the top corner. Veeti Vaisanen picked up the assist on the go-ahead goal.
Less than a minute later the Tigers took a two-goal lead on Mathew Ward’s 17th of the season. Ward grabbed the loose puck from a scrum in front of the net. He skated to the left side of the net and fired the puck into the open net. Ethan Neutens and Vaisanen grabbed the assists on the insurance marker.
The Tigers iced the game with 2:27 remaining when Ryder Ritchie fired his 25th of the season into the empty net from his own offensive zone. The goal gave the Tigers a 5-2 lead and secured the victory.
Jordan Switzer was in net for the Tigers. He had a great game saving 23 of 25 shots to pick up his 23rd win of the season. Rhett Stoesser got the start in net for the Rockets. He allowed four goals against on 37 shots.
Shots:
- Medicine Hat – 32
- Kelowna – 26
Special Teams:
- PP: 0/3 – 0%
- PK: 3/4 – 75%
Stringam Law Three Stars:
- Liam Ruck – Medicine Hat
- Veeti Vaisanen – Medicine Hat
- Hayden Paupanekis –Kelowna
Supplement King Hardest Working Player: Josh Van Mulligen
The Tigers are back in action on Friday night when they head to the Peavey Mart Centrium to take on the Red Deer Rebels. Game time is 7:00 PM (MST). You can listen live on Wild 94.5 FM or watch on watch.chl.ca.
