Tigers clinch Central Division for first time since 2007

By Ryan McCracken on March 11, 2017.

Medicine Hat News

The Medicine Hat Tigers are Central Division champions.

Michael Bullion stopped 28 shots in a 4-0 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings at Rogers Place, while the Calgary Hitmen kept their own playoff hopes alive in a 5-2 win over the Hurricanes — snuffing out Lethbridge’s bid for the central crown.

It’s been 10 years since the Tigers last earned the Central Division banner, a season that culminated in Medicine Hat’s fifth WHL championship. The win puts the Tigers six points and six wins ahead of the Hurricanes with three games left in the season.

Edmonton’s own James Hamblin scored twice for the Tigers to help down the Oil Kings for the second time in as many nights, pushing Medicine Hat to within one point of triple digits with a 49-18-1-0 record.

Tigers sniper Max Gerlach kicked off the scoring late in the first period with his 32nd goal of the season, snapping an eight-game goalless drought with Edmonton’s Graham Millar in the box for roughing.

Hamblin extended the lead with a shorthanded goal from Ryan Jevne early in the second period before John Dahlstrom tacked on with another power play goal — his 29th tally of the year — to leave Edmonton reeling after 40 minutes.

The special teams dominance continued early in the third when Hamblin finished off a power play feed from Mark Rassell, then Bullion put the paddle down to increase his record in orange and black to 15-5-0-0 with his third shutout in 11 games.

Oil Kings goaltender Patrick Dea took the loss after being beaten four times on 49 shots.

The Tigers return to the Canalta Centre Tuesday to host the Red Deer Rebels at 7 p.m.