TIGERS DOUBLE UP WINTERHAWKS
Wednesday night’s game between the Tigers and Winterhawks was a rare one. It’s the only matchup between the two teams this season. Each team is off to a good start after going deep in the playoffs last season. This is a credit to each team’s depth as they both underwent some major changes in the offseason. As expected the game provided the fans with plenty of excitement.
Portland opened the scoring in the first period at 9:55. Joe Morrow scored his third of the year on a shot from the left point. The lead didn’t last long though. Scott McKay tied the game up with his third of the season a minute later. Cole Grbavac and Reid Petryk picked up the assists on the goal. 50 seconds later, Portland would retake the lead as the puck pinballed off a number of different players before Chase De Leo put it away for his second of the season. The flurry of goals would end there though as the Winterhawks entered the intermission up 2-1.
The second period featured a lot of great back and forth action but we didn’t see any goals until the final minute. Hunter Shinkaruk scored his 11th goal of the season to tie him for third in the WHL. Assists on the goal went to Curtis Valk and Alex Theriau. The goal tied the game up at 2-2 heading into the final period.
The third period was full of tense moments as the score remained 2-2 late into the period. The Tigers outworked the Winterhawks for much of the frame. Their hard work would draw a few Portland penalties. The Tigers power play had a number of chances throughout the period but it wasn’t till the third opportunity that they would put one on the scoreboard. Captain Cole Grbavac gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with a great shot from the slot. The power play marker was his third of the season and was assisted by Curtis Valk and Kale Kessy. The Winterhawks would pull their goalie for the extra attacker late in the period but it just wasn’t their night. Emerson Etem finished the game off with an empty net goal for his league leading 17th goal. With Etem’s goal the game would end 4-2.
Tyler Bunz played a great game in net for the Tigers stopping 27 of 29 shots. The win was his league leading ninth of the season.
Earls Three Stars of the Night:
1) Hunter Shinkaruk – Medicine Hat Tigers
2) Brendan Leipsic – Portland Winterhawks
3) Joseph Morrow – Portland Winterhawks
Dickies Hardest Working Tiger – James Bettauer
The Tigers’ next game is Friday night at the Arena against the Swift Current Broncos. Game time is 7:00 (MST) and can be heard live on CHAT 94.5 FM at tigershockey.com or watched via webcast at livestream.whl.ca.
