Tigers fall in back-and-forth OT contest Sunday

By James Tubb on December 29, 2024.

The Medicine Hat Tigers escape a wild Sunday matinee in Calgary with a point.

The Tigers lost 4-3 in overtime to the Hitmen in a back-and-forth affair as both teams traded goals three times before Calgary scored the winning goal 26 seconds into the extra frame. Medicine Hat came into the contest off a 4-0 win Saturday at Co-op Place over the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

While Calgary came out on top, it was the Tigers who opened the scoring early.

Just 31 seconds into the contest, a turnover in the neutral zone ended up on Ritchie’s stick and he burned his way into the Calgary end before wiring home his first of the game. Hunter St. Martin had the lone assist.

The Hitmen responded a little over nine minutes later, with Ben Kindel one-timing a puck in the slot past net minder Jordan Switzer. The goal snapped Switzer’s mini shutout streak, carried over from a 17-save shut-out win Saturday, his first career WHL shutout. Oliver Tulk and Linden Burrett had the assists, the first WHL point for Burrett.

Medicine Hat regained a lead at 13:14 with Bryce Pickford’s 14th of the season. The 18-year-old defenceman had the puck at the point and skated into the slot, throwing a shot on net that was knocked in by Calgary’s Carter Yakemchuk who tried to tuck it under net minder Andres Miller.

Calgary put the game at a 2-2 tie after 20 minutes with a power play goal. Ethan Moore wried a low-laser of a shot past Switzer on the man advantage to make it a 2-2 game at 16:39. Chase Valliant and Carson Wetsch had the assists.

The Hitmen scored first in the second, with Maxim Muranov scoring on a wraparound at 7:39. Kindel had the lone assist.

Just before the goal, Tigers’ defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen and Wetsch dropped the gloves just inside the Calgary blue line in a rock-em sock-em style fight.

The Tigers tied game up at 9:51 with Ritchie’s second of the night. Off a turnover in the Calgary end, Mat Ward picked up the puck along the wall and sent a pass to Ritchie in the slot for the wrist-shot goal, his ninth tally on the year.

Late in the middle frame, Switzer showcased some eyes in the back of his head.

A Hitmen shot from the point ricocheted off the end board and bounced behind Switzer who jumped on the loose rubber, keeping the game tied at 3-3 after 40 minutes.

Neither team scored in the third period, much in part to Switzer’s efforts between the pipes. He stopped all 18 shots the Hitmen poured on him in the extra frame, keeping it a 3-3 tie after 60 minutes.

Calgary didn’t waste time in overtime, scoring 26 seconds into the extra frame.

A turnover in the Hitmen end saw Calgary turn up ice with a three-on-one, as Kindel carried the puck up the wing. He sent a pass to Yakemchuk in the middle who returned the puck to Kindel for the one-time blast and the game winner to the delight of the 6,055 in attendance.

The Hitmen led the game in shots 40-25, also winning the face-off battle 30-28. Calgary was 1-3 on the power play, Medicine Hat 0-1. Across the ice from Switzer, Anders Miller made 22 saves.

The Tigers (20-14-2) host the Hitmen at Co-op Place on Monday to finish a three-in-three stretch.