Tigers fall 5-2 to Blades on Friday

By James Tubb on February 2, 2024.

A back and forth game ended the wrong way for the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The Tigers scored twice in the first period but allowed three unanswered goals Friday night to the Saskatoon Blades, falling 5-2.

Medicine Hat opened the scoring 35 second into the game with a goal from Saskatoon product Reid Andresen. Oasiz Wiesblatt and Gavin McKenna had the helpers on Andresen’s sixth.

Egor Sidorov and Trevor Wong scored for Saskatoon in the first. Sidorov scored on a passing play off a rush less than four minutes after Andresen’s goal. Wong’s marker came on a five-on-3 power play for the Blades.

Medicine Hat tied it up in the first as Andrew Basha redirected a puck off a power play later in the frame for his 20th goal of the season. McKenna and Tomas Mrsic had the helpers as it was 2-2 after 20 minutes.

Fraser Minten scored late in the second period off a turnover in the neutral zone for Saskatoon to grab a lead and he found twine early in the third for a 4-2 lead. Sidorov scored on an empty Tigers net late in the game for the 5-2 final.

Saskatoon led the Tigers in shots 28-18 and capitalized on one of their four power plays. Medicine Hat scored on their lone power play.

Zach Zahara made 23 saves in net for the Tigers.

Medicine Hat (29-15-3-1) is at Prince Albert on Saturday to face off against the Raiders.