NEWS PHOTO SEAN ROONEY
Defenceman Joel Craven is pushed in a shopping cart while holding a puck in his mouth by Dylan MacPherson (6) and James Hamblin during the Medicine Hat Tigers skills competition Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019 at Canalta Centre.
Medicine Hat News
The Man of Steele reigned supreme, Jordan Hollett showed he can snipe with the best of them and James Hamblin’s team comfortably won the Medicine Hat Tigers’ skills competition Tuesday night.
Jaxson Steele’s Superman goal — think Bobby Orr but with a red cape — garnered a better-than-perfect score of 41 thanks to an 11 from one of the four judges in the showtime shootout. He followed that up with a blindfolded goal inspired by the movie Birdbox which got another 41.
Hundreds of fans at Canalta Centre were treated to an inspired creative display in the shootout, and plenty of impressive traditional skills for the rest of the 90-minute event. By the end, Hamblin’s team won 7-3, and a cheque for $4,620 was presented to the MS Society of Canada.
Dylan MacPherson won the fastest skater competition, speeding around the ice in 14.68 seconds to give Hamblin’s team an early lead.
The lead increased when Logan Christensen only needed five shots to take out the four targets in the accuracy shootout, posting an unbeatable time of 13.7 seconds.
After MacPherson threatened to give Hamblin a 3-0 lead with a slapshot registering 93 miles per hour on the radar gun, Bryan Lockner came through with a 94 mph shot to get Ryan Jevne’s team on the board.
As it turned out, that was the only win of the night for Jevne and crew. Steele brought the house down with his showtime efforts, though players on both teams had great ideas. From the old puck-up-your-sleeve routine to a shopping cart and even a basketball net, fans were thoroughly entertained.
Hamblin then won the team relay in 55.29 seconds, setting up a quick 3-on-3 scrimmage to end the night. Since goals were counted at a point apiece, Jevne still had a chance but with Mads Søgaard pulled, fellow netminder Jordan Hollett scored into an empty net to finish off the night.
Hollett and Søgaard also competed in the accuracy competition, with Hollett hitting two of the four targets.
The Tigers are back in action Friday in Moose Jaw, then host Brandon Saturday.
