Bisons score three in the third to end Cubs’ five-game winning streak

By Ryan McCracken on January 7, 2019.

NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN
Desmond Crawford of the Medicine Hat Travelodge Cubs cuts around an Okotoks Bisons defender during Saturday's Heritage Junior Hockey League game at the Kinplex.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

The Medicine Hat Travelodge Cubs learned a valuable lesson on Saturday night at the Kinplex.

In their first game back from stringing together a five-game winning streak before the Christmas break, the Cubs gave up three goals in the third period en route to a 5-2 loss against the Okotoks Bisons. Cubs captain Quinten Karg says he feels the urgency wasn’t there in the third, but expects to see it return quickly with the post-season looming.

“Playoffs are right around the corner so we need to start picking up our pace and not slowing down. I think we slowed down tonight,” said Karg. “We definitely let off the pedal. After Christmas break it kind of seemed like we lost our touch a little bit, but after a full week of practice we should be back at it.”

The Cubs and Bisons traded tallies in each of the first two periods, with Okotoks’ Tyler Bordt opening the scoring eight minutes into the first before MasonFischer knotted things back up in the final minute of the frame.

Bordt struck again to re-establish a narrow lead on an early power play in the second.

While Cooper Hilworth pushed back for Medicine Hat with an unassisted shorthanded goal less than a minute later, the Bisons seized control in the third with goals from Jason Horn, Nicholas Murrell and Connor Taylor.

“We got off to a slow start, but I thought in the last 10 minutes we controlled the play and showed we can play with Okotoks at the top of our division,” said Cubs head coachJDGaetan. “I think we’re there, we just have to keep that focus for the full 60.”

Gaetan added that sustained focused seemed to be an integral part of Medicine Hat’s success in December, going 7-2-0 through the month and closing it out with a five-game winning streak.

“Being the game for all 60 minutes is something we did well in that five-game stretch and something we didn’t do tonight,”said Gaetan, whose Cubs fell to 13-12-3 with the loss. “It’s just about keeping that focus.”

Cubs goaltender Brett Vanderveer settled for a 31-save loss.

Devin Reegan collected the win on 26 saves, pushing Okotoks to 20-5-3.

The Cubs return to the KinplexTuesday to host the Coaldale Copperheads at 8:15 p.m.