Tigers felled in overtime despite outshooting Broncos

By Medicine Hat News on December 28, 2019.

The Medicine Hat Tigers got a hard-earned point in their return to the ice Friday, but no more thanks to Isaac Poulter and the Swift Current Broncos.

The 18-year-old goaltender helped the Broncos to a 4-3 shootout win at the Innovation Credit Union I-Plex, making 40 saves through overtime and turning aside five more in the shootout before Sergei Alkhimov finally converted the winner in the sixth round for the host side.

Swift Current won its first game of the season against Medicine Hat in three tries, getting two goals from Aiden Bulych and one from Tyler Smithies, each player winding up with three-point nights.

The Tigers, with Mads Sogaard in net and Jonathan Brinkman also returning from lengthy absences to play for Denmark, needed a 6-on-4 power play goal from Dylan Plouffe with 19 seconds left in regulation to force the tie. Ryan Chyzowski had the other two goals and James Hamblin got a point in his fifth straight game.

But the shootout loss, combined with a Lethbridge win, sent the Gas City team back a spot to third in the WHL’s Central Division standings.

Sogaard made 19 saves including the last 13 he faced after a rough first period. The Broncos were up 3-1 through 10 minutes and nearly held on amidst a late push from the visitors.

Poulter, in his second season, stopped Hamblin, Brett Kemp, Cole Sillinger, Lukas Svejkovsky and Brinkman in the shootout. Chyzowski got the lone shootout goal for Medicine Hat.

Ethan Regnier beat Sogaard in the first round of the shootout but Cole Nagy, Jaxan Kaluski, Smithies and ex-Tiger Hayden Ostir were stopped before Alkhimov’s game-winner.

Medicine Hat hosts Calgary Saturday, 7:30 p.m. at Canalta Centre. The Tigers then visit the Hitmen on New Year’s Day.