Three Tigers riding point streaks

By Ryan McCracken on November 24, 2017.

Medicine Hat News

Mark Rassell, Max Gerlach and Gary Haden are streaking into Kamloops.

The trio of Medicine Hat Tigers are all riding lengthy point streaks into tonight’s Western Hockey League matchup against the slumping Blazers, with the captain leading the way.

Rassell holds claim to the longest active point streak on the team at seven games, and he’s done it in a highly productive manner. The 20-year-old Calgary product has collected 11 goals and 4 assists in the span to lead the team with 33 points, while sitting third in the league with 23 goals on the year.

Gerlach has been on the rise ever since breaking a seven-game goalless drought with a two-goal performance in Medicine Hat’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Calgary Hitmen on Remembrance Day. The 19-year-old Texan is sitting on a five-game point streak after collecting three goals and six assists in the four contests since — including a goal and three helpers in Wednesday’s 7-3 win over the Prince George Cougars.

Haden has been quietly matching Gerlach’s pace despite changing lines on a handful of occasions. The 18-year-old Airdrie product is also on a five-game point steak with two goals and five assists in the span — including two points in both his team’s 4-3 loss to the Swift Current Broncos last Friday and Wednesday’s win in Prince George.

Seven other Tigers will be looking to start up streaks of their own after collecting points in Tuesday and Wednesday’s back-to-back wins against the Cougars, which pushed the team to a nine-point lead in the Central Division standings with a 15-7-0-0 record.

Winger Ryan Jevne collected three goals and an assist, defenceman David Quenneville picked up a goal and two assists in the series, centre James Hamblin added three goals and centre Ryan Chyzowski had a goal an two helpers. Jaeger White had four assists while defenceman Linus Nassen had three and Dylan MacPherson had two.

The Blazers are coming off a pair of victories over the Vancouver Giants and Lethbridge Hurricanes, but are still sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 9-13-0-0. Centre Garrett Pilon leads the team with eight goals and 21 assists, while defenceman Joe Gatenby sits second with seven goals and 13 assists and winger Jermaine Loewen had 10 goals and seven helpers.

The Tigers and Blazers hit the ice for an 8 p.m. puck drop.

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