Tigers look for bounce-back weekend

By JAMES TUBB on November 19, 2021.

The Medicine Hat Tigers are looking to get back in the win column against the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Winnipeg Ice this weekend.

Medicine Hat’s last win came almost a month ago and the team is riding its fourth longest slump in 20-plus seasons.

The Tigers are coming off of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Calgary Hitmen last Sunday, a game in which the Tigers took 11 penalties and only gave up two power play goals.

Head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins says his team plays hard and is disciplined, but need to be more careful.

“We’ve dug ourselves out of a few games just because of penalties but it’s not that it’s an issue, our players play hard,” Desjardins said. “There’s just been a couple calls going the other way. We have to be careful, we have to be smart but I think our guys are pretty disciplined.”

The Tabbies sit fourth in the Western Hockey League for penalty minutes per game with 14.8. But, they boast the sixth best power play and the 10th best penalty kill, which has been a key part of their identity this season.

Desjardins credits his coaching staff and players for how the special teams has performed so far this year.

“Josh (Maser) and Joe (Frazer) have both done a really good job with those teams and I think guys have responded and played hard,” Desjardins said. “That’s one thing that’s nice to know. I think we are well prepared in those areas. Any given night you’re going have bad nights on both, it’s just going to happen. But overall I know we’ve been focused in those two areas.”

Owen MacNeil, who joined the Tigers at the start of the season in a trade with Spokane, says he’s enjoyed whatever role Desjardins has put him in and the responsibility that comes with them. He has also lined up on the Tigers power play and says he thinks the penalty kill doesn’t get enough credit among the two.

“Either is awesome, I think they are super important but I don’t think the penalty kill gets enough credit,” MacNeil said. “The power play is huge but penalty kill wins games a lot so to be honest either one is great when you’re blocking shots or scoring goals. It’s both doing the same thing for the team.”

Desjardins says Friday’s game against the ‘Canes and Saturday’s against the Ice bring different styles and challenges.

“Both those games are going to be tough games,” he said. “We could play well in both games and still lose. If you lose it doesn’t mean something is going wrong, just means you’re playing against good teams. That’s just the way the league is.”

Medicine Hat’s home game Saturday against Winnipeg gets underway at 7 p.m.

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