NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender Carter Casey makes a shoulder save in the first period of a 4-3 overtime loss Sunday at Co-op Place to the Tri-City Americans.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
It’s a weekend of lessons for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
They wrapped up a seven-game road trip with a 6-1 loss Saturday in Edmonton to the Central division leading Oil Kings before falling 4-3 in overtime Sunday to the Tri-City Americans.
Saturday’s loss saw Edmonton score in the first minutes of each period en route to the win. Sunday had Tri-City rattling off three straight goals before the Tigers capitalized on a pair of power plays to force overtime.
“Edmonton had a really good team, they’re a good hockey team, so we’ll have to be playing really well to beat them and we just didn’t have our best there,” head coach Willie Desjardins said. “There were parts of that game we played really well, so we have to regroup here a little bit.”
The Tigers returned to Medicine Hat from the B.C. division trip on Tuesday, practising Thursday and Friday before they hit the road mid-day before the 2 p.m. start Saturday in Edmonton. The travel and unique week isn’t an excuse Desjardins entertains.
“We went in early to Edmonton to find a way to win and we didn’t play great in that game,” Desjardins said. “We had to come back, we just didn’t find a way to win.”
Jordan Switzer got the start Saturday in his hometown, making 23 saves. Carter Casey worked between the pipes Sunday, stopping 21 shots in the OT loss.
Defenceman Jonas Woo, who missed the entirety of the B.C. division trip, scored the lone goal Saturday and had a pair of markers on Sunday, with Markus Ruck scoring as well. He says they have a lot to take away from the weekend’s losses.
“It’s obviously not the results, but it gives us a chance to learn things and to review it,” Woo said. “Going into this week, looking back at it and getting better.”
The Tigers host the Oil Kings for a rematch Friday before the Brandon Wheat Kings visit Co-op Place on Saturday, the first meeting with the Eastern division team.
Sunday’s loss saw extended periods without a whistle, leading to extended play and a continuous rotation of lines. Desjardins thought they played well in those moments but he says they need to get more out of them.
“You have to get stuff to the net, we had six shots in the first period, we were playing well, we’re moving well, but there’s nothing going to the net, we just need more going to the net,” Desjardins said.
The Tigers were without defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen for both weekend games. Desjardins says the Dallas Stars’ prospect is considered day to day. Forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll has missed the last five games; the Salt Lake City, Utah product is away from the team and will be out for a few weeks, Desjardins says.
They remain without overage defenceman Josh Van Mulligen who has been skating on his own as of late.
Tigers’ Movember campaign
The Tigers are raising money for men’s health issues with a Movember campaign this month.
Those interested in donating through the team can find a page on the team’s website and donate through either the team or their favourite player.
Desjardins, who will not be shaving his infamous moustache for the month, says they’ll always do what they can when it comes to supporting their community.
“Hockey is just hockey, there’s way more important things than that,” Desjardins said. “Mental health is a big issue and we’ll do whatever we can to support it. We have a great community and we look forward to helping them out however we can.”
