Barlage leads Tigers in bounce back win
By James Tubb on January 30, 2022.
NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
The Medicine Hat Tigers celebrate their 3-2 win against the Red Deer Rebels Sunday night with goaltender Beckett Langkow who stopped 33 of 35 shots he faced in the victory.
The second period came to a close with a full line confrontation in the Red Deer end to the right of Ungar. The refs had an extended meeting at the end that resulted in off-setting penalties and the Tigers starting the third frame on the penalty kill.
Logan Barlage tied the game up early in the third for the Tigers to give him two goals in his first two home games as a Tabby. Baker picked up the assist on Barlage’s 11th of the season that came 4:17 into the period.
A little over five minutes later, with the Tigers on a power play, Barlage got the crowd of 1,699 Tigers fans in attendance on their feet as he tipped in his second goal of the game to put the Tabbies ahead 3-2. The goal came off a Baker point shot that Lee re-directed one way before Barlage tipped into the net.
Both Lee and Baker have been picking up points over their last couple games. Lee’s two assists Sunday night mark five points in three games and for Baker, his three helpers give him six points in three games.
Baker said it’s awesome getting on the scoresheet and is glad to be getting bounces and contributing.
“The past few months we haven’t got too many bounces so I think a couple of those goals were fortuitous bounces that went our way and it’s huge,” Baker said.
Lee said it feels really good to be able to contribute on the score sheet for the Tigers.
“It’s not all coming from me obviously, my line mates help me a lot and it feels really good,” Lee said.
The Tigers held off the Rebels for the remaining 10:04 0f the third period in which they were out shot 11-3. Red Deer had multiple face off in the Tigers end with less than a minute left and the goalie pulled but were shut down by Parsons and Baker and the ‘experience line’ of the Tigers, featuring Chorney, Barlage and Owen MacNeil.
Frazer said it’s nice having that veteran leadership the Tigers can put out in the last minute to secure a win.
“Some veteran guys that have been through it before,” Frazer said. “The last minute of the game it’s hard to just keep it simple getting those hard clears, blocking shots. Oasiz (Wiesblatt) had a huge block while it was six on five, so did Chorney at the end and Barlage wins the face off.”
Medicine Hat cleared the puck as the clock wound down to zero as they secured their ninth win of the season.
Barlage said he wants to help the Tigers win whether it is from scoring goals or playing defence. In his four games donning the orange and black, the former Lethbridge Hurricane has five goals and one assist, with four goals coming in the Tigers last two games.
He said it was awesome for the Tigers group to pick up the bounce back win.
“Our group is really proud of that win, that’s a good team over there and to get that win and battle at the end of the game like that was really good to see,” Barlage said.
Langkow stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced to pick up his third win of the season. The Vegreville product said it was huge for him to get the win in a start.
“That’s my first win in a start I’ve had I think in over three months so it’s huge and it feels really good. I was starting to forget what it felt like,” Langkow said. “It was good for us coming off the lost yesterday, we really battled today.”
Langkow’s last win as the starter came on Oct. 22. when the Tigers beat the Raiders 6-2 ahead of their 16 game losing streak.
Frazer said it was good to see Langkow get rewarded for his work with the win.
“I know its been a tough go the last couple for him and it’s great to see him stick with it, keep battling in practice, keep working and getting the win, it’s just great to see,” Frazer said.
The win Sunday night spells the beginning of a long road trip for the Tigers as they head to Edmonton Wednesday for the first of four games in five nights.
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