Tigers look to continue momentum as road streak rolls on

By JAMES TUBB on November 1, 2024.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Tigers look to carry a comeback effort into success on the road this weekend.

The Tigers have a pair of road games this weekend at the Regina Pats tonight and the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday; they enter off a comeback, 4-3 shootout win Wednesday at Calgary over the Hitmen.

“We really liked our start the first 16 minutes, the first period was a pretty good period,” associate coach Joe Frazer said. “Then we ran into penalty trouble, which cost us, but it was great to see the guys stick with it, not get away from it when we were down.

“It’s great way to find a way to grind out those two points. That’s a tough place to win in and it was a great way to start the week.”

Carter Cunningham scored his first WHL goal off a nifty pass from Gavin McKenna who later scored in the second period. Before then, the Tigers allowed three straight goals on power plays as the Hitmen took a 3-1 lead.

They gave Calgary five power play chances, also failing to convert on their four power plays. The Tigers sit third in the league with 231 penalty minutes, behind the Seattle Thunderbirds (278) and Prince George Cougars (234). The next closest Eastern conference team is the Brandon Wheat Kings (180).

“We’ve talked about it’s that fine line of playing hard, playing on the edge and not going over it, to put yourself in a vulnerable spot where the ref has to call something,” Frazer said. “We have to make sure we’re playing fast and hard, but we have also have to ensure that we’re being smart in some situations where we don’t need to take penalties.”

Cunningham was all smiles Thursday recounting his first goal in the Western League.

“All it took was one shift with Gavin McKenna and I got the puck in the back of the net, he’s truly a special player,” Cunningham said. “That’s just an insane pass, good play by (Matt) Paranych to keep it in, good play by him, I’m just glad I could finish on that play.”

The Tigers’ 16-year-old star was named the WHL’s player of the month for September and October, leading the league in scoring with seven goals and 23 points through the first 14 games of the season.

He’ll look to continue that success this weekend against two teams he’s lit up on the score sheet. In eight career games against the Pats, the Whitehorse product has four goals and 13 points. Against the Wheat Kings, he’s tallied three goals and 12 points in five games.

“This is huge weekend for us, we haven’t been great on the roads, last game was a big stepping stone for us so this is going to be another big jump for us,” McKenna said. “They’re tough teams, tough buildings. So it’s going to be a tough one but I think we’re ready.”

The Pats will bring a different look against the Tigers than they did on Oct. 26 when Medicine Hat won 5-1 at Co-op Place. Regina forwards Braxton Whitehead and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Tanner Howe are back in the lineup from injury.

Forward Hunter St. Martin, who scored his team leading eighth goal Wednesday, says they can’t worry about facing a player like Howe and his skill.

“He’s one of those guys who’s skilled and he works hard, so plays a strong two-way game,” St. Martin said. “As long as we come out like every night and we outwork that skill, we play hard, get pucks in and play Tigers hockey, then we’ll have no issues. But if we don’t, then that’s where the problems arise.”

The Tigers could see a return of defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen this weekend. The Dallas Stars prospect was marked as a return from injury on the WHL weekly report but did not play Wednesday. He practised on Tuesday and Thursday with the group but is still marked as day to day according to Frazer.

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