NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Tigers veteran Corson Hopwo shields the puck as he scans his options just inside the Hitmen blue line during the first period of Medicine Hat's 4-2 loss to Calgary Saturday night.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Tigers have hit a rough patch only 14 games into the season.
Medicine Hat dropped their sixth game in a row Saturday night, losing 4-2 to the Calgary Hitmen as their record now sits at 4-7-2-1. The Tabbies haven’t scored more than two goals in their last four games and have failed to score first in all six losses.
When asked about the losing streak, Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins said they are taking it one game at a time and aren’t looking ahead.
“If you win that one or lose that one, it doesn’t matter,” Desjardins said. “It’s not what you focus on, you focus on the next game. We’ll approach it the same as we always have.”
Calgary drew first blood early in the game with defenseman Jackson van de Leest’s first of the season. The Hitmen would add to their lead a little over six minutes later on Tristan Zandee’s first to give them a 2-0 lead only 9:38 into the contest.
Medicine Hat would threaten with a 5-on-3 power play halfway through the frame but couldn’t capitalize on the man advantage. With just a little more than a minute left in the first period, Ahston Ferster knocked in a loose puck on the doorstep to bring the Tigers within one. Owen MacNeil and Dan Baker picked up the assists on Ferster’s third of the year, that would end the frame as the Tigers outshot the Hitmen 13-12 through 20 minutes.
Ferster said it was nice getting the offence but said they need to find a way to win close games at the end. He said the Tigers need to play a full 60 minutes to break the losing streak.
“We know we can do it and we’ll learn from these and they’re just going to make us better,” Ferster said.
The Tigers continued their scoring in the second period as Oasiz Wiesblatt tipped in a Tyler Mackenzie shot on the powerplay to even the game up at 2-2. Baker picked up his second assist of the night on Wiesblatt’s second of the year. Neither team would add to their score as the period would end tied at 2-2.
Medicine Hat carried the momentum throughout the second period as they played a physical game that produced multiple scoring chances, including Wiesblatt’s goal. He said the Tigers just need to believe in one another to replicate the effort in the second over a full 60 minutes.
“We just have to believe in each other, stay with it,” Wiesblatt said. “We’re on a losing streak but just stay together, we’re a close team, we’re a family.”
Just like the first frame, Calgary jumped out early and took the lead. Zac Funk scored his fourth of the season to put the Hitmen up 3-2 only 3:05 into the period. The Hitmen continued the offense as Sean Tschigerl scored on the penalty kill to extend Calgary’s lead to 4-2.
Desjardins said the Hitmen’s shorthanded goal was the difference maker and that the Tigers need more.
“Games are tough, Calgary has a good team I said that going in,” Desjardins said. “They have a good team, every games going to be tough for us and we just need a little bit more.”
Calgary held onto their 4-2 lead as the Tigers led the game in shots, 31-28, but Calgary won where it counted. The Hitmen came into the Hat fresh off of a 5-1 loss in Swift Current on Friday night. Hitmen head coach Steve Hamilton said the win was a good response from his guys.
“We played pretty well last night but when you’re down 5-1 after giving up 12 shots it can be pretty disheartening,” Hamilton said. “I thought the guys rallied up well today and it was a good response.”
Garin Bjorklund was between the pipes for the Tigers and stopped 24 of the 28 shots he faced. Bjorklund said he didn’t think he played the best in the loss. The 19-year-old has struggled during the Tigers losing streak, dropping four straight starts. He said he’s just taking it day by day until things turn around.
“Just have to take it day by day, focus on each and every shot, period by period, and hopefully things start to take a turn for ya,” Bjorklund said. “Just stay positive, help the younger guys and just do what I can to help the team find a way to win.”
Medicine Hat hits the road for Calgary on Sunday for a rematch with the Hitmen. Puck drops at 4 p.m..
