Tigers fall to Winnipeg Saturday night

By James Tubb on April 9, 2022.

The Manitoba road trip has not been kind to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The Tigers fell 6-1 Saturday night against the Winnipeg Ice, marking their 10th loss in a row. Penalties were the Tigers downfall as the WHL’s top man advantage capitalized on two of their four chances. Saturday’s loss puts Medicine Hat’s record at 11-51-3-1.

Winnipeg opened the scoring 6:20 into the game when Jakin Smallwood, standing out front of the net, knocked in a pass from Carson Lambos for his 24th goal of the season. Chase Wheatcroft had the second assist on the goal.

Both teams traded chances throughout the period, with the shots tied at 7-7 after the first 20 minutes of action as the Tigers skated with the WHL’s top club. Goaltender Garin Bjorklund kept them in the game in his return to the lineup.

The 19-year-old was scratched in the Tigers 6-3 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings Friday after tweaking something ahead of Tuesday’s 4-0 shutout defeat by the Saskatoon Blades.

He made 38 saves in Saturday’s loss to Winnipeg.

The second period began with a track meet as the Tigers and Ice went back and forth but only managed a few shots each. The Tigers cracked the stalemate 6:40 into the period when Carter Chorney picked up his own rebound from a back handed attempt and spun around before firing the puck home for his fourth goal of the season.

Winnipeg, as they have all season, capitalized on a power play opportunity to regain the lead. Cole Muir knocked in a loose puck for his 10th goal of the year.

Bjorklund was yet again the star of the period, turning aside multiple high leverage chances including a two–on–none breakaway chance he foiled with the glove.

The Ice did add an insurance marker with 5:13 left in the second when Jack Finley banked a puck in off of Bjorklund’s mask for his 26th goal of the campaign. Winnipeg finished the second frame up 3-1 and ahead in shots, 15-6 in the period.

Winnipeg continued their scoring prowess, with three goals in the third period to mark five un-answered markers. Wheatcroft scored twice and Muir picked up his second goal of the game as the Ice held on for the 6-1 win, their franchise record 50th victory of the season. With the win, Winnipeg clinched first place in the Eastern Conference heading into the playoffs.

Saturday’s game ended with a lot of pushing and shoving between the two clubs that resulted in six players, three from each team, being sent to the showers with 27 seconds left in the game.

The bad blood won’t have to bubble long as the Tigers are back in action Sunday for their final game of the Manitoba road trip with a rematch against the Ice. That game gets underway at 4 p.m.

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