NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers' forward Oasiz Wiesblatt raches out for a breakway attempt on Saskatoon net minder Austin Elliott in the overtime frame of the Tigers' 3-2 OT loss Saturday against the Blades at Co-op Place.
The Medicine Hat Tigers were minutes away from their best start in franchise history before the Saskatoon Blades cut them short.
The Blades scored late in the third period to force overtime before beating the Tigers 3-2 in the last minute of the extra frame Saturday at Co-op Place.
Medicine Hat entered the contest off a 4-2 win Friday at Red Deer over the Rebels, which put them at 3-0 to start the regular season, their best start since 2014.
Head coach Willie Desjardins was succinct with his thoughts on the loss.
“That was a good game, came back from a tough trip to Red Deer, they’re sitting here waiting for us, but I thought the guys battled hard,” Desjardins said.
Both teams traded chances in the first period with the Blades leading the way. They had a five-on-three power play but were held at bay by the tigers and goaltender Evan May who finished the night with 27 saves.
The Tigers opened the game’s scoring in the second period, electrifying the 3,241 Tigers’ faithful in attendance. Tomas Mrsic received a pass from Gavin McKenna and went top shelf on a mini breakaway, knocking off the water bottle and giving Medicine Hat a 1-0 lead.
McKenna and Josh Van Mulligen had the helpers on Mrsic’s second of the young season.
Saskatoon answered back late in the middle stanza with Brandon Lisowsky redirecting a shot for his first goal of the season and a 1-1 tie.
The Tigers didn’t wait long to re-establish their lead before the 40-minute mark. Shane Smith fired a quick shot on net that snuck five hole on Blades’ net minder Austin Elliott.
Smith’s fourth goal in four games put Medicine Hat ahead 2-1 after two periods. Hunter St. Martin and Bogdans Hodass had the assists on Smith’s marker.
Saskatoon held their ground in the third period, capitalizing on fresher legs having not played Friday night, and scored late in the third to tie the game.
Defenceman Tanner Molendyk, in his first game of the season after attending Nashville Predators’ training camp, scored from distance to even up the game and eventually force overtime.
The Blades maintained momentum in the overtime frame, outshooting Medicine Hat 3-1. Forward Egor Sidorov scored the game winner on a mini break with 54 seconds left, sneaking the puck under May. Medicine Hat’s net minder didn’t realize he had the puck under him before moving and it sliding into the net.
“They’re really good at keeping possession and, they had it for most of the overtime there so eventually it wears you down,” May said. “A good move, I didn’t realize I had it, so I was a little scrambley and I kicked it in.”
Across the ice from May, Elliott finished his night with 29 saves, earning the win in his first start of the season after returning from the Predators training camp.
Medicine Hat’s penalty kill was heavily utilized Saturday, killing off all eight penalties. The Tigers power play failed to convert on its four man advantage opportunities.
The Tigers (3-0-1) are back in action Wednesday when they head to Regina to face the Pats.
