The puck bounces off Brandon Wheat Kings forward Caleb Hadland after he blocked a shot by Medicine Hat Tigers forward Tyler MacKenzie during the first period at Westoba Place in Brandon on Sunday.--PHOTO COURTESY PERRY BERGSON THE BRANDON SUN
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The Medicine Hat Tigers come out of a busy weekend with three points.
After falling 3-1 Friday at home to the Red Deer Rebels, the Tigers picked up a point in a 5-4 overtime loss Saturday to the Regina Pats and capped it off with a 7-3 win Sunday over the Brandon Wheat Kings.
In Saturday’s loss to Regina, Medicine Hat had three separate leads fall through the cracks as the Pats kept completing comebacks.
An early two-goal lead off goals from Shane Smith (22nd) and Andrew Basha (19th) were answered with two second-period Regina markers. Tomas Mrsic (11th) found the back of the net in the second and the Pats once again tied it up.
Hunter St. Martin (17th) scored soon after and Regina rattled off two unanswered, including the overtime winner, for the full two points. Zach Zahara made 17 saves in the loss as Medicine Hat outshot the Pats 44-22.
Andrew Basha had three assists with his goal for a four-point night, Jack Kachkowksi recorded an assist on Mrsic’s goal for his first point in the WHL.
Basha was not in the lineup Sunday as he was in transit to Moncton, N.B. for the NHL/CHL top prospects game on Wednesday.
Medicine Hat was also without forward Marcus Pacheco in Sunday’s game as a late scratch. Already missing Matt Paranych, who didn’t make the trip due to illness, the Tigers were left with nine forwards and seven defenceman.
Just like the Regina game, the Tigers led early and saw their leads answered back by the Wheat Kings.
Dru Krebs (4th) scored 32 seconds into the game before Brandon answered back later in the frame.
St. Martin recorded his second goal of the weekend, ninth in the last eight games and 18th on the year.
Oasiz Wiesblatt scored in the second, the Wheat Kings answered back and Medicine Hat rattled off four straight for the 7-3 win.
Hayden Harsanyi scored twice in the third period for nine markers on the season, Mrsic scored his 12th with multiple dekes and Wiesblatt recorded his second of the night and 19th of the season.
Gavin McKenna recorded three assists, Smith had two helpers and all three of Krebs, St. Martin and Mrsic had a goal and an assist. Goaltender and Brandon product Ethan McCallum made 25 saves.
The three points from the weekend keeps the Tigers in second place of the Eastern conference and first in the Central division with a record of 28-14-3. They sit four points ahead of the Red Deer Rebels who are in second place in the division, but have played two fewer games.
The Tigers are off until Friday when they head to Moose Jaw to face Matthew Savoie and the Warriors. They host Moose Jaw and former Tigers net minder Evan May on Saturday.
