NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
The Medicine Hat Tigers pose with four large bears thrown in the Medicine Hat News Teddy Bear Toss game Saturday at Co-op Place, a 6-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders.
Teddy bears flew, the Medicine Hat Tigers scored some goals and came out with a win Saturday night.
The Tigers scored early and maintained their lead for a 6-2 victory at Co-op Place over the Prince Albert Raiders. Saturday’s win gets the Tigers back in the win column after dropping two straight, including a 7-3 loss Friday at home to the Calgary Hitmen.
Cayden Lindstrom scored the first goal of the game and as a result, awoke the bears from their stands hibernation 1:14 into the contest. Hunter St. Martin had the lone assist on the goal all 3,821 fans in attendance were waiting on. Lindstrom says it all happened quickly but was happy to see the bears come flying.
“It was just a couple of seconds in the ship but it felt good to see all of those teddy bears come on the ice for a good cause,” Lindstrom said.
Medicine Hat added to their lead over four minutes later. Hayden Harsanyi picked up a loose puck in the Prince Albert crease and raised it over Chase Coward’s pad. Dru Krebs and Oasiz Wiesblatt had the assists on Harsanyi’s third of the year.
The Tigers rounded out the first period offence with a long distance goal from Gavin McKenna on a power play. Tomas Mrsic and Wiesblatt had the helpers as Medicine Hat led 3-0 after 20 minutes.
Assistant coach Josh Maser liked the Tigers early start in the game and their ability to maintain momentum.
“We’ve been focused on our starts and we started well, once we got up I thought we continued to manage the puck well,” Maser said. “I thought our forecheck was really good, we played as a five man unit really well up the ice and back and in our zone as well. There was a lot more maturity tonight with the lead, just a pretty good all round effort.”
They continued the offence in the second with Lindstrom’s second of the night. The Chetwynd, B.C product potted his 22nd of the season 3:15 into the middle stanza. Andrew Basha and St. Martin had the helpers.
Lindstrom’s goal ended Chase Coward’s night in net with 10 saves. Max Hildebrand took over between the pipes, making 14 saves.
Prince Albert got on the board with a point shot from Justice Christensen at 7:59.
The Tigers notched one back with a one-time power play goal from McKenna for his second of the night and 10th on the year. Wiesblatt and Mrsic had the assists. McKenna hadn’t scored since Nov. 14 before Saturday’s contest, a monkey he was happy to shake off his back.
“I’ve been in a bit of a drought here since being back (From the U17’s), since being back, but to get those two, is good for sure,” McKenna said. “Our power play has been clicking, got two power play goals. So it felt good to get those goals again.”
Prince Albert struck again with a loser of a shot from Luke Moroz at the 11:16 mark.
Medicine Hat ended the frame with a 6-2 lead after Kadon McCann jammed in a puck late in the period. McCann got the final touch on a play in the crease with 2:42 left in the period, Rhett Parsons had the lone assist.
Neither team found twine in the third period as Medicine Hat held on for the 6-2 win, outshooting the Raiders 32-27.
The Tigers (17-8-2) are off for a few days before a home-and-home series with the Edmonton Oil Kings has Medicine Hat at home Friday and on the road Saturday.
