Tigers almost comeback Tuesday night, fall 6-3
By James Tubb on November 14, 2023.
The Medicine Hat Tigers made a comeback bid Tuesday night at Swift Current. The Tigers drew within one in the third period but couldn’t complete the come back, falling 6-3 at Swift Current against the Broncos. Medicine Hat came into the contest off a two-win weekend and riding a four-game win streak. Swift Current opened the scoring with the only goal of the first period. Tyson Laventure found the back of the net later in the first frame, scoring with 2;19 left in the period for a 1-0 Broncos lead after 20 minutes. The Broncos added onto their lead early in the second frame with a goal from Brady Birnie, capitalizing on a mini rush opportunity. Medicine Hat drew within one 1:26 later. Gavin McKenna, his first game back in the Tigers lineup since returning from representing Canada at the U17 Hockey Challenge in P.E.I. scored on a passing play from Hayden Harsanyi to make it a 2-1 game. Oasiz Wiesblatt had the second assist on McKenna’s eighth goal of the season. The Broncos added to their tally again in the second, with Laventure scoring on a power play for his second of the night. That Tiger penalty came from Wiesblatt being pushed into Swift Current goaltender Reid Dyck and being assessed an interference penalty. Swift Current led the Tigers in shots 19-18 and 3-1 on the scoreboard. Swift Current kept their momentum early in the third, capitalizing on a shorthanded opportunity. Medicine Hat product Caleb Wyrotstok picked up a puck in the neutral zone and got in behind the Tiger defenders before scoring a shorthanded goal to put the Broncos up 4-1 7:34 into the third period. The Tigers made it interesting in the middle of the frame, rattling off two goals in 2:25 of time. Cayden Lindstrom wired a shot past Dyck at the 10:07 mark to make it a 4-2 game. Andrew Basha and Rhett Parsons had the assists. Soon after, on a Medicine Hat power play, Tyler MacKenzie jammed a loose puck and it floated over Dyck to bring them within one of Swift Current with 7:27 left in the game. Reid Andresen and Dru Krebs had the assists on MacKenzie’s 11th. But it was Swift Current who got the last tallies. On another questionable goalie interference call on Wiesblatt, who again was pushed into Dyck while trying to jump out of the way, the Broncos capitalized on the man advantage. Rylan Gould knocked in a rebound with 2: 37 left in the game to put Swift Current ahead by two. Ryan McCleary, who took a late roughing penalty, jumped out of the penalty box after his two minutes were up and scored on an empty Medicine Hat net for the final, 6-3 Swift Current lead. Evan May made 19 saves in his 17th start of the season, putting his record at 8-5-2. Across the ice from him, Dyck made 34 saves. The Tigers (13-6-2) are off until Saturday when they head to Brandon to take on the Wheat Kings for the first time this season. 13-12
