GAME 4: TIGERS VS SASKATOON BLADES

Category: ArticleMarch 27, 2013

VS SASKATOON: The Medicine Hat Tigers are 3-0 so far versus the Saskatoon Blades in the best of seven WHL Eastern Conference Quarter Finals. The Tigers have outscored the Blades 12-3 but have been outshot 129-110. The Tigers offence has been very balance and six players are tied for the team lead with three points in the series. Goaltender Cam Lanigan (3-0-0-0) has allowed three goals against (1.00 GAA) on 129 shots (.977 SV%). The Tigers have gone 3 for 13 with the man advantage (23.1%), while killing off 7 of 8 Saskatoon power plays (87.5%).

1st ROUND SERIES SCHEDULE:

#1 – Medicine Hat 4 – Saskatoon 1

#2 – Medicine Hat 3 – Saskatoon 0

#3 – Medicine Hat 5 – Saskatoon 2

#4 – Saskatoon @ Medicine Hat, Wednesday, March 27 (7:00 PM)

#5 – Medicine Hat @ Saskatoon, Friday, March 29 (7:05 PM)**

#6 – Saskatoon @ Medicine Hat, Sunday, March 31 (6:00 PM)**

#7 – Medicine Hat @ Saskatoon, Tuesday, April 2 (7:05 PM)**

** If necessary

LAST GAME: The Tigers defeated the Saskatoon Blades 5-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals. The Tigers spread around the scoring with Curtis Valk, Kyle Becker, Steven Owre, Logan McVeigh and Hunter Shinkaruk all getting in on the action. Owre’s goal was his first career WHL goal. Valk also added a pair of assists for a game high three points. Dylan Bredo and Derek Ryckman also had a big night with a pair of assists each. Cam Lanigan made 42 saves for the third consecutive game to pick up his third win in a row.

2012-13 WHL RANKINGS:

Record (36-33-2-1).
Central Div. – 4th.
Eastern Con. – 7th.
Home (23-12-0-0).
Away (13-21-2-1).

MILESTONES: Hunter Shinkaruk has already hit a number of major milestones in his short WHL career. He hit another impressive milestone in the regular season finale when he scored his 100th career goal. In 193 regular season game, Shinkaruk has scored 100 goals and added 119 assists for 219 points.

STREAKS: Boston Leier, Dylan Bredo, Jacob Doty and Trevor Cox are the Tigers’ iron men this season. The four players skated in all 75 games for the Tigers this season. Bredo’s streak dates all the way back to his rookie season in 2009-10. This year’s playoff appearance marks the 11th straight season that the Tigers have made the postseason. Cam Lanigan has been on fire lately. Lanigan has won three straight games and made 42 saves in each of those wins.

CHL GOALIE OF THE WEEK: Cam Lanigan was named the Vaughn CHL Goalie of the Week for the opening week of the playoffs. He lead the Tigers to a pair of wins allowing only one goal against (0.50 GAA) on 85 shots (.988 Save %). This is Lanigan’s second CHL Goalie of the Week honour of the season.

ATB PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Logan McVeigh was named the ATB Tiger of the Week for the final week of the regular season. It is his first player of the week honour of the season. Logan scored three goals, assisted on three others and had a -2 rating in three games. Over the week the Tigers went 1-2-0-0.

2012-13 PLAYOFF CLUB LEADERS:

Goals (2) Trevor Cox / Hunter Shinkaruk
Assists (2) Dylan Bredo / Miles Koules / Elgin Pearce / Derek Ryckman / Curtis Valk
Points (3) Dylan Bredo / Trevor Cox / Miles Koules / Elgin Pearce / Hunter Shinkaruk / Curtis Valk
PIM (6) Zach Hodder
Plus/Minus (4) Zach Hodder / Spenser Jensen / Derek Ryckman / Hunter Shinkaruk
Wins (3) Cam Lanigan