May records first WHL shutout in Tigers’ win Friday
By James Tubb on October 20, 2023.
Friday was a great day to be Evan May. The Medicine Hat Tigers’ net minder recorded his first career WHL shutout in a 4-0 win at Kamloops against the Blazers. May turned aside all 25 shots he faced for his fifth win of the season. Medicine Hat came into the contest off a 3-2 overtime win on Wednesday at Vancouver against the Giants. It was a scoreless first period with the Blazers outshooting Medicine Hat 8-6 in the frame. The Tigers killed off two penalties in the frame and were perfect on the penalty kill throughout, killing all four of their penalties. They were never on the power play on the night and have killed 15 straight penalties after Friday’s win. Medicine Hat opened the scoring 7:14 into the second stanza on a redirection goal from Oasiz Wiesblatt. The 19-year-old forward got the final touch on a point shot from defenceman Bogdans Hodass for a goal in two straight games, Wiesblatt scored the OT game winner Wednesday. Tomas Mrsic had the second assist on the marker. Just over the halfway mark of the frame, Brett Calhoon knocked in a pass to find the back of the net against his childhood team. Kadon McCann and Dru Krebs had the assists on Calhoon’s first marker of the season. The Tigers outshot Kamloops 15-11 in the second frame, leading the game 21-19 through 40 minutes. Just 2:07 into the third period the Tigers struck again. Brayden Boehm broke into the Kamloops end with speed and shovelled a puck up and over Blazers’ net minder Jesse Sanche for the 3-0 lead. Shane Smith had the lone assist on Boehm’s fifth goal of the season and third in three games. The Tigers’ final goal of the contest came at the 9:33 mark when Cayden Lindstrom knocked in a rebound off a Krebs’ shot from the point. Lindstrom’s eighth of the season rounded out the night’s offence as Medicine Hat outshot the Blazers 33-25 en route to the 4-0 victory. Across the ice from May, Sanche made 29 saves in his second start of the season. The Tigers (7-3-1) head into their final game of the B.C. road trip as they are at Prince George on Sunday to face the Cougars. They’ll look to add another win to their 3-1 record on the trip through Canada’s westernmost province. 10-9
