Tigers get honourable mention in top-10 list
By Medicine Hat News on January 23, 2020.
Medicine Hat News
The Medicine Hat Tigers held onto their spot as an honourable mention in the Canadian Hockey League’s weekly top 10 rankings following a 6-2 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes and a 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings this weekend.
The Tigers (29-13-1-1) sit 11 points back of the Oil Kings (31-7-6-3) for first in the Western Hockey League’s Central Division with two games in hand, and one point behind the Hurricanes (27-11-2-5).
Medicine Hat held the No. 10 spot to begin 2020.
The Portland Winterhawks (33-6-2-3) climbed into the CHL’s No. 2 spot, up one from last week, after extending their point streak to 19 games with three more victories. The Oil Kings, Kamloops Blazers (30-11-2-1) and Everett Silvertips (29-11-2-1) all kept their places from last week at fifth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
The Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67s (34-7-0-0) held onto the No. 1 spot for a third consecutive week with four straight wins.
Tigers prospect wins silver
Medicine Hat Tigers goaltending prospect Dylan Silverstein took home a silver medal with Team U.S.A. at the 2020 Youth Winter Olympic Games on Wednesday in Laussane, Switzerland.
Silverstein’s Americans advanced to the gold medal game after defeating Canada 2-1 in the semis, but ultimately fell short of first with a 4-0 loss to Russia in the final.
Canada – led by Brandon Wheat Kings prospect Nate Danielson and Winnipeg Ice prospect Matthew Savoie – went on to clinch bronze with a 4-2 victory over Finland. Danielson closed out his tournament with two goals and an assist, including a goal in the bronze medal game, while Savoie had a goal and two helpers.
Hot streaks
The Portland Winterhawks may boast one of the most impressive streaks in recent memory with a 17-0-1-1 record through their past 19 games, but the U.S. Division leaders aren’t the only team boasting a wild run to start 2020.
Over in Kamloops, Shaun Clouston’s Blazers have surged to a 30-11-2-1 record with eight consecutive victories – the bulk of which have been heavily lopsided. Over the course of the streak, Kamloops has outscored opponents by a staggering 49-11 margin, including a 12-3 win over the Tri-City Americans Friday followed by two straight shutouts, 9-0 over Tri-City Saturday and 4-0 over the Kelowna Rockets Sunday.
The run has Kamloops sitting atop the B.C. Division with 10 points of padding on the second-place Victoria Royals.
In the Central Division, Edmonton has been hard to stop with a running nine-game point streak. While they’ve dropped two of their past four games – both in overtime – the Oil Kings haven’t lost in regulation since the start of 2020. They hold an 11-point lead over the Tigers for first in the division.
As for the Winterhawks, they haven’t lost in regulation since Nov. 30 – a 4-1 setback in Kamloops – and have won each of their past five games to hold a 10-point lead on the Everett Silvertips for first in the U.S. Division.
Wednesday’s results
Lethbridge leapfrogged Medicine Hat in the standings with a 7-1 win over Moose Jaw Wednesday.
Dylan Cozens had three goals and an assist, Oliver Okuliar added two goals and a helper at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw.
Cade Hayes had the lone goal for the host Warriors, who have lost seven in a row.
Edmonton won its eighth in a row, 5-3 at league-worst Swift Current.
The Broncos have lost seven straight but got 57 saves from Isaiah DiLaura, his team outshot 62-24. Edmonton even needed an empty-netter to seal the victory.
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