NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Tanner Molendyk passes the puck out from the corner in the Swift Current end in the first period of a 5-3 loss to Swift Current on Friday at Co-op Place.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
A point was salvaged from a disappointing home weekend for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
They blew a 3-1 lead in the third period of a 5-3 loss Friday to the Swift Current Broncos and managed the point by forcing overtime in a 5-4 loss Saturday to the East division leading Prince Albert Raiders.
It’s the first time since the weekend of Dec. 6-7 the Tigers have picked up fewer than two points in a weekend, and just the fourth time this season. Their first games back from an 11-point U.S. road trip, a fan base roaring with excitement at the potential ahead, only to be met with a squandered lead and penalties rearing an ugly head once again.
It’s a weekend head coach Willie Desjardins says re-emphasis’s how good the league is.
“We could have easily had the game Friday, easily had it, and (Saturday) was probably a more even game, but we still have a chance,” Desjardins said. “But you don’t always get those games and that’s just the way it is. So we have to regroup a little bit, we have to work a little bit harder and we gotta stay out of the box, too. We were in the box too much.”
The Tigers took five minor penalties in Friday’s loss – four 10-minute misconducts – and captain Oasiz Wiesblatt was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for charging after a late hit on an empty-net goal by Broncos’ forward Clarke Caswell.
The 20-year-old Tiger was assessed a one-game suspension, served Saturday.
Medicine Hat had five more minor penalties Saturday, including a high stick minor from Mat Ward late in the third, after he tied the game up with his 14th of the season. Prince Albert capitalized on the power play in overtime.
“It’s always learning and we talked about that (Saturday) morning, about learning from what happened,” Desjardins said. “Because we had that game (Friday) where we didn’t put it away, and then we just got off our game, and we let it slip away. You can’t do that, so you always learn, that’s just what you have to do.”
The Tigers overcame a couple of leads in Saturday’s game to force overtime. Four different skaters scored in the loss, with Liam Ruck, Ryder Ritchie, Misha Volotovskii and Ward all finding twine. Volotovskii’s goal was his first as a Tiger. Harrison Meneghin started both weekend games.
Forward Gavin McKenna extended his point streak to 28 games with a goal and an assist Friday and two assists Saturday. With Wiesblatt out of the lineup, the 17-year-old shifted into the middle of the lineup for the first time in his WHL career and first since his minor hockey days.
He finished 7/16 on face offs, eventually switching back to the wing to start the third period.
“It was kind of weird at the start, but you kind of get used to it as the game goes on,” McKenna said. “I”m still not fully used to it, but it’s good to have another tool in the toolbox.”
He didn’t turn down the idea of trying the position for a longer period in the future.
“In the NHL, all the franchise players are centremen, so it’s good to kind of be able to play both positions, it would help me in the long run,” McKenna said.
They remain in first place of the Central division and Eastern conference despite the down weekend, sitting a point ahead of the Calgary Hitmen. The Tigers head back on the road for a two-game set in Saskatchewan starting tonight at Saskatoon, against the Blades.
It’s the first meeting of the teams since Medicine Hat acquired Tanner Molendyk and Misha Volotovskii from the Blades in exchange for Hayden Harsanyi and Jack Kachkowski.
Molendyk played 210 games with Saskatoon, notching 26 goals and 134 points, working his way into becoming a 24th overall pick by the Nashville Predators in 2023.
“It’s going to be a little emotional,” Molendyk said. “I spent my five years there and have a lot of friends, people who feel like family, so it’ll be a big thing for me to just to see those guys again and get to see teammates that I remember forever and are friends forever. But if I’m just going there to get a win.”
Volotovskii played 195 games for the Blades, with 19 goals and 35 points.
“It’ll be exciting to see my friends and billets,” Volotovskii said. “I’m super grateful for my time with Saskatoon and it was great, I loved it.”
Both played key roles for the Blades as they made lengthy playoff runs over the last couple of seasons, making it to Game 7 overtime of the Eastern conference finals last year, falling to eventual champion Moose Jaw Warriors. Being part of something that successful and large scale has stuck with Molendyk following the trade.
“That’s a big thing for me, just being part of those teams and those people’s lives is really special to me,” Molendyk said. “To go on those runs and be a part of a winning culture all the time was cool.”
The Tigers will be in Prince Albert on Wednesday for a rematch with the Raiders, a game to be a featured on the WHL’s Wednesday Night in the Dub promotion. It will be available for free on the WHL’s YouTube as well as on WHL Live.
Both games get underway at 6 p.m. MST.
