Tigers beat Oil Kings 2-1 in stingy win Wednesday night

By James Tubb on November 13, 2024.

The Medicine Hat Tigers used the minimum for the win Wednesday.

The Tigers scored twice in the second period to propel them on the road, 2-1 over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Medicine Hat got revenge for a 4-2 loss to the Oil Kings on Nov. 8. They came into the contest off an 8-4 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors the next night.

After a blank first period where Edmonton led in shots, 12-9, it was the Oil Kings who scored early in the second.

Forward Cole Miller won a face off in the Medicine Hat end, Lukas Sawchyn sent a pass to Jager Gugyelka at the point and he fired a shot on net. The puck rebounded off net minder Harrison Meneghin and Miller knocked it in for a 1-0 lead 1:09 into the middle frame.

Meneghin stood tall the rest of the game, making 27 saves for his sixth win of the season.

The Tigers answered back with the game deciding goals, finding twine twice in a span of 2:09.

Gavin McKenna carried the puck into the Edmonton end and send a pass to Liam Ruck who one-timed it into the net for the 1-1 tie at 10:15. Ruck’s second of the season was his first since he and Markus winning gold with Team Canada Red at the U17 Hockey Challenge. Mat Ward had the second assist.

Just 2:09 later, McKenna again had possession with the puck heading up ice to the Edmonton end. The 16-year-old slowed up on the odd-man rush, waited for a teammate to get open and found captain Oasiz Wiesblatt who scored his 10th of the season, the eventual game winner.

McKenna picked up an assist for his 12th multi-point game this year and league-leading 39th point.

Medicine Hat led the second period in shots 12-10, trailing 22-21 in the game.

They led the third period in pucks on net 7-6, as both teams fired chances looking to either extend the lead or tie the game up at 2-2. The final frame flew by as the Tigers and Oil Kings flew up and down the ice. Edmonton’s best chance for the tie game in the last two minutes.

On a dwindling Tigers’ power play, Miller chipped the puck out of the Edmonton end and broke in on Meneghin for a shorthanded rush. He was stick-checked at the last second by defenceman Jonas Woo to cancel the chance and preserve the 2-1 lead.

Edmonton pulled goaltender Alex Worthington with 1:09 left in the game and pushed for the tie but couldn’t find twine as Medicine Hat held on for their 11th win on the year. The teams ended up tied in shots 28-28. Edmonton won the face-off battle 33-21 and neither team found twine on the power play, Medicine Hat o-3 and Edmonton 0-2.

The Tigers (11-9) host the Victoria Royals on Friday for Brayden Boehm’s return to Co-op Place. The 20-year-old forward will play against the Tigers for the first time after donning the orange and black for 154 games. He was traded to the Royals on Oct. 5 in a corresponding move after the Tigers acquired Meneghin from the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

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