Tigers flip script in OT win

By Medicine Hat News on February 8, 2020.

Two days after having their hopes dashed in a backbreaking loss to the Prince Albert Raiders, the Medicine Hat Tigers rallied to erase a two-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation before avoiding a season series sweep with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings at Westoba Place.

Brett Kemp scored 18 seconds into overtime to cap the comeback after captain James Hamblin forced sudden death with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. The victory came less than 48 hours after Prince Albert scored a tying goal with seven seconds left then stole a victory just eight seconds into 3-on-3 action. The Raiders also managed to avoid a season series sweep with the comeback.

Brandon took over Friday’s early lead when hometown boy Lynden McCallum beat Hat netminder Mads SÃ¸gaard through traffic at the tail end of a power play with Parker Gavlas in the box for holding.

SÃ¸gaard held his team in a one-goal game with 13 saves in the second period, then kept up the wall to start the third – but Wheat Kings winger Jake Chiasson snapped his save streak halfway through the final frame to give Brandon some crucial breathing room.

The Tigers kept chipping away and Nick McCarry broke through on a late power play to extend his point streak to seven games with Duncan Pierce in the box for high sticking.

Riding a new surge of momentum, the Tigers took the puck back into the Brandon end and Hamblin converted to snap a small two-game pointless drought and force overtime.

Fresh off the draw in sudden death, Medicine Hat took over the offensive zone and Ryan Chyzowski found Kemp in front to silence the crowd of 4,145.

SÃ¸gaard stopped 27 shots in the victory, pushing Medicine Hat past the Lethbridge Hurricanes for second in the Central Division with a 33-15-2-1 record.

Jiri Patera took the loss on 35 saves, dropping the Wheat Kings to 27-19-3-2.

The Tigers complete a two-game Manitoba road trip Saturday night in Winnipeg against the Ice (30-19-1-1) at 6:30 p.m.