Cubs ride strong second past Copperheads in pre-season finale

By Medicine Hat News on September 18, 2021.

The Medicine Hat Cubs responded to a back-and-forth opening frame with a three-goal second en route to a 6-4 exhibition victory over the Coaldale Copperheads on Friday night at Redcliff Arena.

Medicine Hat’s Connor Douglas opened the scoring 59 seconds into the game, but the Cubs saw the lead quickly vanish on back-to-back tallies from Mason Sande.

With 24 seconds remaining in the first, Cubs captain Levi Schlosser put one past Copperheads goaltender Ethan Barrows to knot things up.

Colby Friedrich took back the lead early in the second, then Cooper Hilworth and Connor Gardiner stretched the lead to three in a commanding middle frame.

Coaldale’s Koden Lazar cut into the lead early in the third, but Douglas struck for his second to push the game out of reach a few minutes later.

Douglas closed out the night with two goals and an assist, while Gardiner had a goal with two helpers.

The Cubs open the Heritage Junior Hockey League regular season Saturday against the Lomond Lakers at Vulcan Arena.