By JAMES TUBB on December 4, 2021.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb The slide reached 13 games on Friday night in Edmonton. The Medicine Hat Tigers fell 8-2 to the Central Division leading Edmonton Oil Kings, and have now given up at least seven goals in each of their last three games. The Oil Kings got on the board first on John Szabo’s second of the season 12:41 into the game. That goal would be the only offence in the frame as Edmonton outshot the Tabbies 12-10 through the first 20. Edmonton continued its scoring prowl early in the second on Brendan Kuny’s first of the season, only 3:54 into the period. Jacob Boucher and the newly-acquired Kaiden Guhle, picked up the assists on the goal. Guhle was dealt to the Oil Kings from the Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday in a deal that sent two prospects and three draft picks from Edmonton to the Raiders. For a second straight game, the Tigers were without two-thirds of their top line as Corson Hopwo is still week to week with an upper body injury and Noah Danielson did not dress in the loss. Oren Shtrom was also out of the lineup, listed day-to-day with an upper body ailment. The Tigers got on the scoreboard while shorthanded as Brayden Boehm scored his second of the season to bring the orange and black within one 7:53 into the frame. It was all Edmonton in the second after that. Jakob Demek scored his 10th on the year at the 10:27 mark and Simon Kubicek added his eighth of the year as the Oil Kings jumped ahead 4-1 after two periods. Medicine Hat outshot the home team 13-12 in the frame but trailed by three where it counted. Dylan Guenther scored two goals early in the third to extend the Edmonton lead to 6-1. Guenther is one of four Oil Kings that named to Team Canada’s selection camp roster for the IIHF U20 World Juniors on Wednesday. The Tigers chipped away on a Daniel Baker point shot 48 seconds after Guenther’s second. Baker’s fourth of the campaign was assisted by Lukas Svejkovsky and rookie Andrew Basha. The assist marks Basha’s first WHL point in his fourth game. Szabo picked up his second of the contest on the power play at the 8:18 mark and Guenther notched his third of the night as the Oil Kings final lead bloated to 8-2. Tabby net minder Beckett Langkow stopped 37 of the 45 shots he faced in the loss. The Tigers (4-13-3-1) will look for their first win since Oct. 22 Saturday night when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings for the Teddy Bear Toss game. Puck drops at 7 p.m. 15