NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN Medicine Hat Cubs forward Desmond Crawford is stopped by Strathmore Wheatland Kings goaltender Brett Willan during a Heritage Junior Hockey League game at the Kinplex on Sunday.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
The Medicine Hat Cubs turned up the heat in the race for second place with a home-and-home sweep of the Strathmore Wheatland Kings this weekend.
After taking a 5-3 victory in enemy territory Saturday, the Cubs returned home and rallied past Strathmore 5-4 on Sunday at the Kinplex to stay within two points of the Cochrane Generals for second in the Heritage Junior Hockey League’s Southern Division standings with four games left in the regular season.
“We know every single game matters,” said Noah Irvine, who scored twice in Sunday’s win. “We’ve got to come in with the same mentality, regardless of who we play because we can’t afford not getting the two points. It really adds an extra reason for the boys to make sure we’re going as hard as we can.”
The Coaldale Copperheads are also still vying for second – and with it a first-round bye – sitting just one point behind Medicine Hat and three back of Cochrane. The Cubs (23-9-2) and Copperheads (22-12-1) meet for the final time this regular season Friday at the Kinplex. The Cubs then close out the campaign with a home-and-home against Cochrane (24-8-2).
“It’s really probably going to come down to those last two games,” said Cubs co-coach JD Gaetan. “The guys are excited for this last stretch. They’re treating it like playoff hockey, and that’s what we have to do at this point to get ready.”
Mason Fischer scored and added an assist in Sunday’s win to extend his point streak to 15 games. The 21-year-old Hatter has been on the score sheet in every game since Nov. 24, logging 13 goals and 17 assists in the span. He even recorded the 100th point of his junior hockey career – which spans the HJHL as well as Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba’s junior A leagues – with Sunday’s assist.
“It’s nice to get that accomplishment. It seems like this year has been a big year for me and getting that 100th point is a nice pat on the back,” said Fischer, who has 53 points in 30 games this season. “Playing with (Ethan) Machan and (Spencer) Chapman, they’ve done really well to support me. They’re guys I enjoy playing with because they read the ice well and they’re always in a good position for me to be able to find them.”
Irvine’s two goals led the Cubs Sunday, while Joshua Schafer added a tally in his third game back from injury and Machan had a goal to extend his point streak to seven games.
Wacy Sandum, Will Kathol, Zach Suntjens and Jayden Hendricks all scored for Strathmore in the loss.
Logan Leroux collected Sunday’s victory with a 29-save performance for Medicine Hat. Brett Willan stopped 40 in the loss, dropping Strathmore to 11-23-0.
Fischer was also pivotal in Saturday’s win, logging two goals and an assist – all in the third period – while helping Medicine Hat dig out of a late 3-1 hole.
Chapman led the Hat offence Saturday with two goals and two helpers, while Chandler Aleman put the game away with a late insurance marker and Machan added a pair of assists.
Kathol, Jaycob Masciangelo and Garrett Van Der Ploeg all scored for the Wheatland Kings in Saturday’s loss.
Dawsen Savage backed the Cubs to the win with a 26-save performance, while Strathmore’s Landen Brassard was left with the loss after stopping 40 shots.
Medicine Hat got a boost last weekend with the return of Schafer on defence – and they’ve won all three games since his return – but the Cubs have been without captain Tavin Stadnicki since the 21-year-old blueliner suffered a lower-body injury in a 5-4 win over the High River Flyers on Jan. 10.
“It’s probably going to be a playoff time return for him,” said Gaetan, adding Schafer’s return has helped fill the void. “He’s an offensive guy and it’s nice having that extra punch jumping up in the play for us. It’s nice having him back, he’s another leader for us.”
