Tigers fall 4-1 Sunday at Lethbridge

By James Tubb on December 15, 2024.

NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB Medicine Hat Tigers forward Ryder Ritchie makes a pass in the off Hurricanes’ end in the first period of a 4-1 loss at Lethbridge.

The Medicine Hat Tigers head into the holiday break with a lump of coal. 

The Tigers allowed a pair of unanswered goals in the first period, ultimately falling 4-1 at Lethbridge to the Hurricanes. They came into the contest winners of three straight, beating the Hurricanes 3-2 on Saturday at Co-op Place.

Associate coach Joe Frazer tipped his hat to the Hurricanes.

“You have to give them credit, they outplayed us,” Frazer said. “Right from the start, their first period was better than ours. We got better as the game went on, but it was too late.

Lethbridge opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the first.

Just 1:24 into the game, Zach Zahara made a pad save that sent the puck to the point. There, Hurricanes’ captain Noah Chadwick blasted a shot that found the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

They doubled up on the advantage 15:42 later, with a power play goal from Will Sharpe. The 17-year-old had a tap-in in the slot off a passing play from Kooper Gizowksi, Chadwick had the second assist.

The Tigers had their chances, hitting a couple of posts and also getting denied by starter Jackson Unger. The Hurricanes led in shots 10-7.

Medicine Hat got on the board in the second.

Carter Cunningham carried the puck up ice on a two-on-one. After breaking into the Hurricanes’ end, he fed Ethan Neutens the puck and he roofed a backhand gaol at 2:16. Kadon McCann had the second assist on Neutens’ second of the season, first as a Tiger.

The Hurricanes extended their lead late in the middle stanza. A turnover in the Medicine Hat end found Shane Smith’s stick and the former Tiger found twine at 15:14. Brayden Edwards had the second assist on Smith’s fifth or the season.

Lethbridge led the game in shots 20-15 after 40 minutes. They cemented the win a little over the halfway point of the third.

Gizowksi scored on a two-on-two rush, making it a 4-1 Hurricanes’ lead with 8:44 left in the game.

Lethbridge held on for the win, their 13th of three season on home ice. They led the game in shots 31-26. Medicine Hat won the faceoff battle, 31-28.

Hurricanes associate coach Matt Anholt liked his team’s response from the loss Saturday.

“Over our years with Medicine Hat, it’s hard to beat them two games in a row, and vice versa,” Anholt said. “There’s been some times where we’ve had a lot worse team than them and likewise the other side, and regardless of where the teams are in the standings, it’s really hard to beat each other two games in a row on a weekend.

“That’s a forever challenge in this rivalry but it’s good by our leadership group and how good Noah Chadwick, Logan Wormald, Brayden Edwards and Logan McCutcheon were tonight.”

Zahara, in his first game donning the orange and black since being reacquired on Thursday, made 27 saves. Across the ice from him, Unger made 25 saves for his fifth win with the Hurricanes.

The Tigers (19-14-1) are off for the holidays, with their next action Dec. 28 at Co-op Place against the Hurricanes.