TIGERS BLOWOUT ICE 9-2
The Tigers returned home for Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semi Finals series against the Kootenay Ice. Trailing 3-1 in the series after two losses in Kootenay, the Tigers faced a do or die situation. The pressure wouldn’t get to the Tigers as they controlled the play throughout the game. They were nearly unstoppable on the offensive side of play lighting the lamp a playoff high nine times on their way to a 9-2 victory. The Tigers now head back to Kootenay for Game 6 trailing 3-2 in the series.
The teams traded goals in the first period to head into the first intermission tied 1-1. Levi Cable opened the scoring for the Kootenay Ice with a shorthanded goal at 7:03. Jagger Dirk set up Cable for their seventh of the playoffs. Cole Sanford tied the game up at 13:29 of the first with his fourth of the postseason. Curtis Valk and Tyler Lewington picked up the helpers on the tying goal.
The Ice retook the lead only 49 seconds into the second period on Landon Peel’s first goal of the playoffs. Luke Philp and Zach Franko set up the goal with some nice passing. The Tigers came back late in the period with a pair of quick goals. Cole Sanford scored his second of the night off a great tip of Dylan Bredo’s shot. Chad Butcher gave the Tigers their first lead of the game 1:37 later with his fourth of the postseason. Steven Owre battled hard behind the net and found Butcher all alone in front to put the Tigers up 3-2 heading into the third period.
The Tigers were on a mission to start the third period and exploded for six unanswered goals. Cole Sanford made it a two goal game at the 5:43 mark of the third with his hat trick goal. Trevor Cox and Curtis Valk picked up assists on the power play marker. Miles Koules made it a 5-2 game only 13 seconds later. Koules redirected Ty Stanton’s shot past the goaltender for this third of the playoffs. Steven Owre also picked up an assist on the goal. Curtis Valk got in on the goal scoring a little over a minute later with his team leading ninth of the postseason. Linemates Cole Sanford and Trevor Cox picked up the assists on the goal. A few minutes later Cole Sanford added to his game totals with his fourth goal of the night and seventh of the playoffs. Trevor Cox picked up his third assist of the night on the goal to put the Tigers up 7-2 with half a period to play. Cox would also add to a goal to go along with his assists at the 15:13 mark of the third. Sanford found Cox bursting out of the zone to score a shorthanded breakaway goal. Chad Labelle finished off the wild third period with his third of the playoffs. His goal came on the power play with 31 seconds remaining and was assisted by Tommy Vannelli and Blake Penner. The goal capped off a wild six goal period that gave the Tigers a 9-2 victory in Game 5 of the series.
Marek Langhamer picked up the win on home ice. He had a great game making 23 saves on 25 shots. With the win his playoff record improves to 6-4-1-0. Wyatt Hoflin got the call in net for his first start of the series. He had a busy game facing 53 shots against. He allowed nine goals against in his first loss of the playoffs. With the loss his playoff record drops to 4-1-0-0.
The Tigers went 2 for 3 on the power play while killing off all three of the Ice power play chances.
Earls Restaurant Three Stars of the Night:
- Cole Sanford – Medicine Hat Tigers
- Trevor Cox – Medicine Hat Tigers
- Curtis Valk – Medicine Hat Tigers
IBAC Insurance Goal of the Game – Cole Sanford
The Tigers’ next game is Monday, April 14th when the Tigers travel to Cranbrook, BC to take on the Kootenay Ice in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals. The game will begin at 7:00 pm (MST) and can be heard live on CHAT 94.5 FM at tigershockey.com or watched via webcast at livestream.whl.ca.
