Tigers beat Wheat Kings 6-0 Friday for second straight win

By James Tubb on October 11, 2024.

The Medicine Hat Tigers pick up the first two-game win streak of the season.

The Tigers beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-1 Friday night at Co-op Place. They came into the contest off a 3-0 win Wednesday over the Red Deer Rebels.

Head coach Willie Desjardins described the win as an important one for his group.

“Brandon’s got a quick team, really quick,” Desjardins said. “They have a good power play, our penalty killing was really good again tonight, which was great. The power play had lots of chances, so that was a tight game and (Harrison) Meneghin was huge for us again tonight.”

The Tigers were first on the board.

Medicine Hat had a lengthy power play opportunity early in the frame they couldn’t capitalize on. Just over 10 minutes later, they made good on another advantage.

Oasiz Wiesblatt fired a shot from the middle of the circles that finally beat Carson Bjarnason. Gavin McKenna and Mat Ward had the helpers on the captain’s second of the season, leading 1-0 with 6:16 left in the opening frame.

The first ended on a chippy note.

Medicine Hat defenceman Nate Corbet fought forward Joby Baumuller in the last minute. Only 32 seconds later, Wiesblatt and defenceman Luke Shipley roughed it up. The Tigers led in shots 13-8 after 20 minutes.

Medicine Hat kept the momentum in the second. A quick 3:06 into the middle stanza, Hunter St. Martin roofed a puck at the bottom of the circles for a 2-0 lead. Liam Ruck had the lone assist on St. Martin’s third of the season.

They kept on the pressure, making it a 3-0 lead 1:29 later. Defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen broke in from the point with the puck and scored on a quick shot. Hayden Harsanyi and Jonas Woo had the helpers on the Finnish d-man’s second of the season.

The Tigers continued to lead the game in shots, holding a 25-14 advantage after 40 minutes.

Medicine Hat found twine early in the third period. Marcus Pacheco carried the puck up the ice on a 2-on-1 with Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll. The 19-year-Pacheco held onto the puck and rifled it glove side for his first of the season.

Veeti Väisänen and Hayden Harsanyi had the assists on the 4-0 goal 3:07 into the third. The assist was Väisänen’s first WHL point.

The Tigers had a scary moment early in the third. Forward Hayden Harsanyi was tied up with Luke Shipley behind the Brandon net and the 20-year-old slammed the 17-year-old to the ice. The momentum had his leg bend in an awkward angle and he had to be helped off the ice.

Desjardins had no update on the NHL draft eligible forward and says he was being looked at by medical staff.

Medicine Hat was already missing forward Ryder Ritchie and defenceman Bryce Pickford. Ritchie is day to day after getting hit in the face with a skate in Wednesday’s win. Pickford missed the game due to a suspension, with duration to be determined, as a result of a kneeing major from Wednesday.

McKenna made good on the power play from the Harsanyi injury. The 16-year-old footed a wrist shot on net that found nothing but twine for his first of the season. Andrew Basha and Woo had the helpers to make it 5-0 Tigers 7:48 into the third.

“It was nice to get the monkey off the back,” McKenna said.

With 5:34 left in the game, Kadon McCann scored on a nifty play in tight to make it a 6-0 score. Woo had the lone assist on McCann’s first of the season.

Brandon ended Meneghin’s shutout bid with 2:24 left in the game. A breakdown in the Tigers end saw Brady Turko with a tap-in for the goal and 6-1 final. Meneghin’s shutout streak ended at 117:36, he had 21 saves on the night. Across from him, Bjarnason made 31 stops.

“It’s about making saves early in the game, keep the boys confident and let them do what they do in the offensive zone,” Meneghin said. “It wasn’t the busiest of games, but I saved the shots that I needed to save and I’m happy we got the two points.”

The Tigers (3-4) host the Vancouver Giants on Saturday to wrap the weekend. Desjardins says they play a similar game to Brandon.

“They got lots of offense too, they have some guys that are quick,” Desjardins said. “They’ve been really riding their power play so we’re going to have to be prepared.”

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