Lewington makes his mark

By Ryan McCracken on December 31, 2018.

CP PHOTO /
Justin Tang
(Left) Ottawa Senators left wing Zack Smith (15) knocks off the helmet of Washington Capitals defenceman Tyler Lewington (78) as they fight during second period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, Saturday.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

Tyler Lewington left his mark on the National Hockey League on Saturday night at the Canadian Tire Centre.

The former Medicine Hat Tigers captain logged his first career NHL goal then added an assist and a fight to complete the Gordie Howe hat trick en route a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators in his second game since being called up to the Washington Capitals.

The powerhouse defenceman spent 250 games over four seasons with the Tigers, including 69 as captain of the team during the final season at The Arena in 2014-15. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Edmonton product went undrafted in the Western Hockey League and worked his way onto Medicine Hat’s roster as a free agent in 2011 before going 204th overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft and closing out his junior career with 18 goals and 94 assists.

Lewington went on to play in 200 games with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears before getting called up for his first NHL game on Dec. 22.

“It’s such an unbelievable story and it’s one that we’ve used and obviously will continue to use and promote,” said Tigers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston. “He wasn’t a full-time player until 18 years old really. He just came so far. He’s a guy that closed the gap and passed guys with his work ethic, with his commitment to his off-ice, the workouts in the weight room. Just a ferocious warrior who just got better and better with his intensity and his work ethic.”

After picking up his first career point on Tom Wilson’s opening goal, Lewington picked up a drop pass from Nicklas Backstrom while entering the offensive zone and beat Senators goaltender Marcus Hogberg under the blocker, prompting Alex Ovechkin to pick up the puck and bring it back to the bench.

Leading 3-1 in the second period, Lewington got tied up with Senators winger Zack Smith and ended up dropping the mitts for his first career fight — holding his own in a 35-second bout with the 6-foot-2, 208-pound forward.

Lewington went on to finish the game with two points, a plus-two rating, a blocked shot and two shots on goal in 14:28 of ice time.