Tigers open season with 4-1 win Friday
By James Tubb on September 22, 2023.
The Medicine Hat Tigers kicked off their 2023-24 WHL season in winning fashion. The Tigers won 4-1 at Calgary against the Hitmen for their first victory of the season. Medicine Hat’s special teams, especially the penalty kill, stood out in the win as they killed off all eight penalties they took on the night, scoring two shorthanded goals in the process. Neither team found the scoreboard in the first period, with the Hitmen outshooting the Tigers 8-7 in the frame. The Tigers’ offence kicked off early in the second. The Tigers notched their first marker on the season as Brayden Boehm redirected a breakaway pass from Andrew Basha for the first tick of offence. Tomas Mrsic had the second assist on the goal coming 1:29 into the middle stanza. Just over 10 minutes later the Tigers notched their first shorthanded goal of the game as Tyler MacKenzie knocked in a rebound off a Boehm breakaway for the 2-0 lead. Friday’s contest marked MacKenzie’s first as Tigers’ captain after being named the 40th captain in franchise history on Thursday. Defencemen Dru Krebs and Rhett Parsons were named as assistant captains, with a third assistant to be named at a later date. Josh Van Mulligen had the second assist on MacKenzie’s goal. With 1:34 left in the second period, Shane Smith carried a puck into the Hitmen zone and instead of looking for a pass, the Cessford, Alta. product wired home a shot for a shorthanded goal and a 3-0 Medicine Hat lead. The Tigers led the Hitmen on the scoreboard but it was Calgary who led the game in shots through 40 minutes, outshooting Medicine Hat 27-23. The Hitmen broke the goose egg just under the halfway mark in the third, getting on the board with Benjamin Kindel’s first Western Hockey League goal. That marker ended Medicine Hat goaltender Evan May’s shutout bid. He finished the ninth with 35 saves, earning his first win of the season. The Tigers offence wasn’t complete as the captain was hooked on a breakaway to draw penalty shot. MacKenzie broke in and slowed up before wiring a shot over the shoulder of Ethan Buenaventura for his second goal of the game and the commanding, three-goal lead. Medicine Hat held on for the 4-1 opening night win. The Tigers (1-0) are back in action Saturday when they host the Hitmen at Co-op Place for their home opener. The pregame ceremonies, involving player introductions, get started before puck drop at 7 p.m. 11-10
