Road swing going swell for the Tigers

By Medicine Hat News on November 9, 2019.

The Medicine Hat Tigers improved to 3-1-0-0 on their B.C. Division road trip with a wild 8-5 victory over the Kelowna Rockets on Friday at Prospera Place.

Jonathan Brinkman and Tyler Preziuso both finished the night with three points, while eight different Tigers lit the lamp in the barn-burning victory.

Rockets winger Kobe Mohr kicked off the scoring just past the six-minute mark of the first, but Hat centre Brett Kemp beat Roman Basran to erase the deficit later in the frame, then Daniel Baker stole away the lead with 33 seconds left in the period.

Kelowna’s Alex Swetlikoff evened things back up early in the second period, but again the Tigers answered in numbers. First Brinkman converted on a power play chance, then Bryan Lockner added some breathing room less than a minute later.

Preziuso stretched the lead but the Rockets came storming back with goals from Michael Farren shorthanded, then Lief Mattson to leave Kelowna within one entering the third.

Mattson tied it in the final frame, then Tabby defenceman Trevor Longo stepped up to retake the lead. Corson Hopwo struck for some insurance with four minutes left.

The Rockets pulled Basran, but Eric Van Impe hit the empty cage to put the game away.

Tigers goaltender Mads Søgaard stopped 28 shots to collect the victory and push Medicine Hat to 12-5-1-0 on the season.

Basran turned away 33 in the loss – dropping Kelowna to 9-6-1-1.

The Tigers close out their B.C. Division swing Saturday night in Kamloops against Shaun Clouston’s Blazers (10-6-0-0) at 8 p.m.