NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Luke Cozens celebrates with forwards Andrew Basha and Yaroslav Bryzgalov after scoring the first of his two goals in an 8-3 win Saturday at Co-op Place over the Caglary Hitmen.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
A string of eight goals was the path to success Saturday night for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
After surrendering the game’s opening goal to the Calgary Hitmen for a second straight night, the Tigers rattled off eight straight to win 8-3 at Co-op Place.
Medicine Hat came back from a 2-1 deficit Friday to win 3-2 in overtime at Calgary’s Saddledome. Saturday’s win, a sixth straight for the Tigers, caps off a week of wins against Central division foes, started with a 10-6 win Wednesday in Edmonton over the Oil Kings.
“Those are three real big games, first starting with Edmonton two with Calgary, the two teams who are right behind us, (to) find a way to get all three wins, it’s huge,” head coach Willie Desjardins said.
Forward Andrew Basha had a goal and three assists for his first four-point night of the season. His line, with Luke Cozens (two goals) and Yaroslav Bryzgalov (one goal, one assist) combined for four goals and eight points. Basha says they wanted to bounce back as a line from Friday’s game.
“It’s good to have a bigger night tonight,” Basha said. “Anytime you can have a good solid night as a line, it’s really important for the team and a great way to finish off the week.”
After Calgary failed to convert on a couple of open-ice chances Saturday night, Kale Dale was sprung for a mini rush and he scored with a shot top shelf over starter Jordan Switzer for the 1-0 lead 7:05 into the game.
The Tigers responded a little over seven minutes later with a trio of goals to end the frame with a two-goal lead.
Dayton Reschny passed off two Luke Cozens had the puck in the slot, swarmed by bodies and he chucked a backhand on net that beat Aidan Hesse. Andrew Basha had the second assist on Cozens’ 23rd of the season.
A little under three minutes later, Yaroslav Bryzgalov knocked in a rebound in the crease for the 2-1 Tigers lead. Josh Van Mulligen picked up the primary assist, carrying the puck down low before putting it on net. Basha had the second helper on Bryzgalov’s 10th of the season.
The Tigers run continued 35 seconds later with a marker from the captain.
Tyson Moss had the puck at the point in the Calgary end, walking the line before he dished off to Bryce Pickford who one-timed a shot from the very top of the circles, beating Hesse for his 37th of the season. Cam Parr had the second assist.
The Tigers killed off an early penalty to start the second period and capitalized on a power play before the halfway mark of the frame. Liam Ruck fired a shot from the top of the circles that beat Eric Tu, taking over for Hesse in the Calgary net. Markus Ruck and Pickford had the assists on Liam’s 36th, putting the Tigers ahead 4-1 9:22 into the second.
Medicine Hat killed off another two penalties in the frame, the second kill was secured by a pair of point-blank saves by Switzer. The Tigers ended the frame with a goal for a 5-1 lead through 40 minutes.
Basha carried the puck into the Calgary end on a three-on-two, dishing off to Gavin Kor, who wired a shot off the post. The puck laid in the crease and Basha knocked it in for his third point of the night and 11th goal of the season. Markus Ruck picked up an assist on the goal.
The Tigers scored three straight to start the third.
Cam Parr carried the puck towards the back of the net before dishing off to Ethan Neutens in the slot where the 20-year-old scored his 12th of the season. Van Mulligen had the second assist.
Cozens scored his second of the night on a full-line effort. Basha carried the puck into the Calgary end, passing off to Bryzgalov who passed through a pair of defenders to the former Lethbridge Hurricane for the tap-in. The Whitehorse, Yuk. product had extra motivation Saturday night, with his mom Sue in the stands to see him play as a Tiger for the first time.
“Having her in the buildings, obviously it’s great,” Cozens said. “Pucks are going in and I’m happy.”
The Tigers last goal came off a blue line effort from Carter Cunningham, holding the puck in before throwing a backhand towards the net for a redirection marker from Kade Stengrim. Noah Davidson had the second assist on Stengrim’s 15th.
After opening the scoring, Calgary rounded out the game with a pair of goals. Luc Trevors and Maze each scored on turnovers in the Tigers end, making the final 8-3.
Switzer finished with 21 saves, tying him for the league lead with 26 wins. Tu, taking over for Hesse to start the second, made seven saves in his 40 minutes of action. Calgary outshot the Tigers 24-22, Medicine Hat won the face-off battle 41-26. The Tigers were 1-2 on the power play, holding Calgary scoreless on four man advantages.
The Tigers (42-9-5-3) head into a four-game week, starting with a pair of games on the road. They face the Regina Pats on Tuesday and the Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday.
“One at a time, both those teams are playing well, we’ll have to be ready for them,” Desjardins said. “It’s hard, whenever you go on the road, it’s going to be tough. With the travel and then we get back and we have Red Deer and then are in Edmonton, our schedule has been hard.”
