Tigers beat Hitmen 4-3 Friday night

By James Tubb on December 2, 2022.

It came down to the wire but the Medicine Hat Tigers came away with the win Friday night in Calgary.

Brendan Lee, No. 39, scored with 1:39 left in the game for the 4-3 road victory. Medicine Hat came into the contest off a week of practice following a two loss weekend at home.

The Tigers got on the board in the first period off a shot from defenceman Dru Krebs that squeaked through Calgary net minder Ethan Buenaventura. Brayden Boehm and Dallon Melin had the assists on Krebs’ second goal of the year. Medicine Hat outshot Calgary 15-5 in the first frame.

Medicine Hat carried their momentum into the second period, jumping ahead 3-0 less than four minutes into the frame. Andrew Basha scored on a breakaway goal facilitated off a pass from defenceman Reid Andresen. Krebs had the second assist on Basha’s seventh goal of the year.

Only 2:48 later, Andresen fired a shot on net from the point and found the top shelf for his fifth goal of the year.

The Hitmen clawed their way back and tied the game up at 3-3 in a three minutes span. Carson Wetsch scored at the 8:47 mark to get Calgary on the board. David Adaszynski potted his third of the year at the 10:16 mark and Brandon Whynott tied the game up 1:25 later with his second of the year.

The third period was a goaltender duel as Buenaventura and Tigers net minder Beckett Langkow went save-for-save in the frame. Langkow, who turned aside 36 shots for his ninth win of the season, kept the Tigers in the game stopping all 18 shots he faced in the third.

After killing off a penalty with less than five minutes left, the Tigers went on the power play. With multiple chances being turned aside and the game destined for overtime, Lee wired a shot over Buenaventura’s right shoulder for his 15th goal of the year and 1oth with the man advantage, tying the CHL lead. Tyler Mackenzie and Andresen had the assists on lee’s marker.

The Tigers held on for the win, pushing their record to 9-12-4-1 on the season. They are back in action Saturday when they host the Saskatoon Blades for the annual Medicine Hat News Teddy Bear Toss game. That contest gets underway at 7 p.m. at Co-op Place.

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