Tigers score five unanswered for 20th win
By James Tubb on December 13, 2023.
A comeback effort worked in a big way for the Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday. The Tigers overcame two separate deficits to win 6-2 at Lethbridge over the Hurricanes, their first win at the Enmax Centre since the 2021 COVID-19 shortened season. Lethbridge opened the scoring Wednesday night. Tyson Zimmer scored his ninth of the season 12:49 into the opening frame with a top shelf wrist shot to give the Hurricanes an early advantage. Medicine Hat answered back with 58 seconds left in the period. After a miscue in the corner by Lethbridge goaltender Brady Smith, Kadon McCann sent the puck to Vasyl Spilka in front of the net and he fired the puck home for his second of the season, making it a 1-1 game. The Hurricanes again jumped ahead of the Tigers. Trae Wilkie scored his sixth of the season, capitalizing on a rush opportunity to put Lethbridge ahead 2-1 10:45 into the second period. It was all Medicine Hat after that. The Tigers tied the game up 4:55 later on a inclose play by Cayden Lindstrom. A shot from the point by Josh Van Mulligen laid in front of Smith before Tyler MacKenzie passed it to Lindstrom who backhanded it into the net for the 2-2 draw. Just 39 seconds later, Andrew Basha broke into the Lethbridge end on a rush and wired a shot up and over Smith’s shoulder for his 15th goal on the year and the 3-2 lead. Shane Smith had the lone assist on Basha’s goal. Medicine Hat struck again late in the second. Shane Smith took a pass from Gavin McKenna, who was behind the net, and tickled twine for his 16th of the season and the 4-2 lead through 40 minutes. The Tigers outshot Lethbridge 24-15 through the two periods. They kept the offence rolling in the third period. For a second time in the game, a point shot from Van Mulligen led to a Tigers goal. After his shot from the point, a rebound led to Oasiz Wiesblatt picking up the loose puck and scoring back handed while falling for his 10th of the season. Medicine Hat had one more goal left in the tank as Lindstrom scored on a break for his second of the game and 26th of the season, making it a 6-2 game with 6:55 left in the contest. Hunter St. Martin had the lone assist on the final goal of the game. The Tigers held on for the 6-2 victory, their 20th win of the season. Ethan McCallum made 15 saves for his fourth win of the season. Across the ice from him, Brady Smith made 27 saves. Neither team capitalized on the man advantage as the Tigers were 0/1 with a power play and shut down the Hurricanes two man advantages. The Tigers (20-8-2) are back in action Friday when they head to Calgary to face the Hitmen. They’ll host the Hurricanes on Saturday at Co-op Place for their final game before the WHL’s holiday break. 14-13
