Hounds close out 2018 with a bang

By Ryan McCracken on December 24, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com  @MHNMcCracken

The Medicine Hat Hounds bantam AA hockey team closed the book on 2018 with a big comeback victory and a hard-fought tie on home ice the weekend.

The Hounds kicked off the weekend by erasing a late deficit to snap the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ 12-game unbeaten streak with a 3-2 win Saturday before battling out a 2-2 stalemate with the Taber Golden Suns Sunday at the Moose Recreation Centre.

“We’ve played good teams back-to-back-to-back and the guys just haven’t quit,” said head coach Brayden Desjardins, whose Hounds jumped to 11-8-3 this weekend. “It just shows the kind of character these kids are capable of. They’ve come so far since the start of the year.”

Hounds Braxton Thornton and Luke Renschler scored back-to-back markers in the final eight minutes of regulation to steal away a 3-2 win from their Highway 3 rivals.

Dawson Stewart opened the scoring for Medicine Hat just past the five-minute mark of the second period. While Lethbridge responded in numbers with goals from Sheldon Sawyer and Jacob Sargent just over 30 seconds apart, Hat goaltender Zach Ferguson settled into his crease and back the Hounds to victory with a 20-save performance.

“They just didn’t quit,” said Desjardins. “They knew they had a bit of a task in front of them — Lethbridge doesn’t give up a ton of goals — and they just kind of stuck with our program. We capitalized on a power play and were just hard on them. It shows what happens when we capitalize on our chances.”

Lethbridge’s Nixon Ordway settled for a 19-save loss, snapping a 12-game unbeaten streak and dropping the Hurricanes to 13-3-3.

While the Hounds followed up Saturday’s streak-snapping victory with a less-spirited tie against Taber Sunday, Desjardins says the result shows just how much ground the team has gained in recent weeks.

“We were fighting the puck quite a bit,” he said. “Guys were sick and we’re just kind of ready for the New Year, but it was good to get a point out of a game that maybe we weren’t totally great in, that’s the sign of a good team.”

Taber’s Nathan Verloop opened the scoring just less than five minutes into the first, but Stewart pushed back for Medicine Hat by beating both Golden Suns goaltender Scout Sidam and the buzzer — knotting the game up with one second left in the opening frame.

Stewart struck again to take over the lead in the second, but Golden Suns captain Taylor Millo set things back to even early in the third period and both goaltenders refused to let another puck past them.

Ryan Hodgson stopped 23 to collect the tie for Medicine Hat, while Sidam put up 28 saves for Taber.

The Hounds return to action on Jan. 5 in Okotoks against the Oilers.

Midget AA

The midget AA Hounds muscled their way to a pair of blowout victories to end off 2018 this weekend.

The Hounds outscored their opponents 19-1 with an 11-0 drubbing of the Foothills Bisons Saturday in Nanton and a 9-1 beatdown on the Bow Valley Timberwolves Sunday at the Kinplex — leaving the Hounds at 12-4-3 on the season.

Connor Miller led Medicine Hat with four goals in Sunday’s home ice victory, while Brandon Kasdorf had two goals and four assists, Jacob Milne had two goals and three assists and Ryley Manz had a goal and three helpers.

Nick Dobson scored the lone goal for Bow Valley.

Manz powered Medicine Hat’s offence to Saturday’s 11-0 victory over Foothills with four goals and two assists as one of six Hounds to register at least three points in the win.

Cam Hall potted a hat trick and a helper, Jacob Milne had a goal and four assists, Zackery Dovichak added two goals and an assist and Austin Klimosko and Kyden Moore both registered three assists.

Hat goaltender Teron Funk locked up the shutout victory with 19 saves. Bisons starter Reid Robinson took the loss after allowing six goals on 34 shots, while Josh Robins stopped 32-of-37 in relief.

The midget AA Hounds return to the Kinplex on Jan. 4 to host the CRAA Gold.

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