Langkow, power play push Tigers past Hitmen

By Ryan McCracken on March 13, 2021.

The Medicine Hat Tigers rode their red-hot power play to a second straight win over the Calgary Hitmen in a 4-2 battle on Saturday evening at Co-op Place.

Tabby netminder Beckett Langkow made sure the power play’s trio of tallies was upheld with a 32-save victory in the first start of his Western Hockey League career.

It was the second night in a row that Medicine Hat’s man advantage cashed in on three of four chances.

The Hitmen took over their first lead of the weekend’s three-game set just 58 seconds into regulation when Josh Prokop mashed a rebound past Langkow — but it didn’t last long.

Medicine Hat’s blistering power play got its first chance a few minutes later and Eric Van Impe evened things up by fooling Calgary goalie Jack McNaughton with a wonky pinball play.

Calgary outshot Medicine Hat 13-9 through the opening frame, but Langkow stopped all but the one to keep things even.

The Tigers shifted momentum in the second and stole away the lead with yet another power play goal. After parking himself in front of the net, Nick McCarry redirected a shot from Daniel Baker into the net for his second goal of the campaign.

The power play struck again in the final minute of the second. After potting a hat trick on the advantage Friday, Tabby defenceman Cole Clayton stepped into a point shot and snapped his stick — but the resulting knuckle-puck trickled past McNaughton for Clayton’s league-leading 12th point of the season.

The Hitmen pushed back midway through the third when Zac Funk snapped a shot past Langkow just after a power play had expired — but it was the last puck they’d put past the rookie.

McCarry put the game away in the final minute with an empty-net goal.

McNaughton took the loss on 28 saves. Calgary’s power play came up empty on four opportunities.

The Tigers (4-2-0-0) will look to close out a three-game sweep Sunday in Calgary (1-2-1-0) at 7 p.m.

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