Tigers look to rebound in Prince Albert

By Ryan McCracken on September 28, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

The Medicine Hat Tigers are itching to rebound from Wednesday’s disappointing loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings tonight in Prince Albert against the Raiders.

After watching a two-goal lead turn into a 3-2 setback on a series of odd-man rushes, Tigers captain James Hamblin says the team needs to get back to the basics while upping the level of urgency on the backcheck.

“First and foremost we can’t let that happen. Our gap has to be a little better, but at the same time our forwards need to be racing back a little bit more so we can stop those turnovers,” Hamblin said late Wednesday night. “They are a better team. Their younger guys are getting older and they’re maturing, but I mean any team in this league is good and we can’t take anyone for granted.”

Hamblin added their issues started in the offensive zone — all three of Edmonton’s goals were scored on counter-attacks which began on offensive zone turnovers. With a very young defensive corps, new forward line combinations and overage blueliners like Dylan MacPherson and Linus Nassen still competing at AHL camps, Hamblin says the Tigers need to stress simplicity as their road trip concludes against a pair of undefeated teams in the Raiders and Saskatoon Blades.

“We need to make sure that when we do have possession of the puck it’s getting deep, it’s getting toward the net,” said Hamblin, who was held without a point for the first time this season in Wednesday’s loss. “We had a couple too many O-zone (turnovers) that cost us, so the next couple games we just have to make sure we’re buzzing in the O-zone and putting the puck toward the net.”

The Tigers hit the ice tonight at 7 p.m. to take on the Raiders (2-0-0-0) before making the trip to Saskatoon to face Max Gerlach’s Blades (2-0-0-0) Saturday. In the meantime, Hamblin says the Tabbies will be doing their homework.

“We’ll shake it off, learn from it,” said Hamblin. “We’ll watch video, we’ll learn from the game and then it’s one game at a time and we’re focusing on PA.”

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