Mads Søgaard stopped them all on Friday night at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.
The Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender willed his team back into the win column with a 25-save performance in a 2-0 shutout over the Swift Current Broncos – pushing Medicine Hat to 2-1-0-0 on the Western Hockey League season.
Tyler Preziuso broke open a scoreless stalemate just over two minutes into the third period when he pounced on a loose puck in the crease and chipped it over Broncos netminder Isaac Poulter, then Bryan Lockner put the game away on a power play in the dying minutes of regulation.
Medicine Hat pushed the pace into the first, outshooting Swift Current 15-7, but they were unable to get anything past Poulter in the frame.
The Broncos tilted the ice in their favour in the second, this time outchancing Medicine Hat 13-7 only to have Søgaard shut down every opportunity.
Facing the prospect of back-to-back losses, the Tigers ramped up the offence early in the third and Preziuso broke through for Medicine Hat’s first lead in regulation this season. Corson Hopwo and James Hamblin assisted on the tally – the first point of the year for all three players.
Lockner gave the Tigers some crucial breathing room in the dying minutes of the third when he beat Poulter on a low shot with Matthew Culling in the box for delay of game. Hamblin and Jonathan Brinkman picked up assists on the goal.
Poulter stopped 45 shots in the loss – dropping Swift Current to 1-1-0-0.
The Tigers and Broncos hit the Canalta Centre for a rematch on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Medicine Hat will then make the trip to Calgary to take on the Hitmen on Sunday at 4 p.m.
