NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt celebrates his hat-trick goal and 100th point of the season, capping off a 7-3 win Saturday at Co-op Place over the Red Deer Rebels.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers threw back to 2003 two weekends before they begin a run they hope ends like it’s 2004 or 2007.
The Tigers picked up a pair of much-needed weekend wins, coming back to win a 6-5 thriller in overtime Friday at Lethbridge over the Hurricanes before a pair of hat tricks and career highs propelled them 7-3 over the Red Deer Rebels at Co-op Place.
Gavin McKenna had a hat trick as part of a seven-point night, a new single-game high, and captain Oasiz Wiesblatt also racked up points with a hat trick and two assists, with an assist to be added from Friday’s win, giving him 100 points on the season.
Wiesblatt’s second goal in the win Saturday was also the 100th of his WHL career. With McKenna’s 121 points and Wiesblatt’s 100, they become the Tigers’ first 100-point duo in a single season since Jason Miller (136) and Kevin Riehl (116) in 1990-91.
“Oasiz and Gavin have a lot of chemistry between the two of them, they’re really dangerous,” head coach Willie Desjardins said. “They were really dangerous in the third in Lethbridge, so it’s great to see both those guys do so well, and they both really deserve it.”
Saturday was a night so bright for McKenna, tallying four points in the opening frame before finishing with seven. He also extended his point streak to 38 games, passing Sidney Crosby’s 37-game streak as the second-longest in the CHL over the last 25 years. It’s the longest point streak in the WHL since 1996.
As happy as he was with his own night, he says they were focused on getting their captain to the century mark.
“(Oasiz) and I have been talking about it for a while now, he wanted 100 for a long time, so it’s been on the back of both of our minds,” McKenna said .”It’s motivation, you want to see him put the puck in the back of the nets and I want to do whatever I can to help him.”
The 100th point on the year was a moment of pride, Wiesblatt says, a culmination of years of ups and downs melted into a moment he can reflect on proudly,
“My first year I had six points, the year after we had 11 wins, those are tough times and you’re not sure what to do,” Wiesblatt said. “So you just have to stick with it and the coaches here have done an unbelievable job to keep me happy and keep me a confident player.”
The Tigers made a surprise announcement Saturday morning that the ‘flying Tiger’ jerseys would make a two-game return, during that game and the last home game of the regular season, this Saturday night against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. After that, they’ll be auctioned off with proceeds going toward the team’s education fund.
There was no firm answer from around the team about the last time tigers flew on the jersey, but after over a decade’s absence, they were well received.
“It looks so good, it was good to see,” Desjardins said. “It was good that we treated it with a win.”
“They’re sick, I hope they come back, I would love for them to be our third jerseys,” McKenna said. “Whether they are or not, it’s OK, but they’re sick.”
Saturday night also brought 5,645 Tiger faithful through the proverbial turnstiles, the largest attendance at Co-op Place this WHL season. The second deck opened up and fans filled the concourse, a showing the Tigers’ captain hopes is a sign to come with playoffs around the corner.
“The fans were unbelievable, it’s great to have them pack the house because it gives us energy,” Wiesblatt said.
Before the game, Desjardins was honoured by WHL commissioner Dan Near, receiving a commemorative plaque for his 500th career win.
“It was really great of the league to come down and it was pretty special in front of these fans,” Desjardins said. “I do always want to thank people, like the Masers have been so good to me to give me a chance here, and the fans have been unbelievable.
“Benny Thompson was here today, he’s one of my first captains, so it was great to see him. It’s pretty special place here in Medicine Hat with all the people and all the great coaches I’ve worked with.”
The Tigers come out of the weekend still in first place of the Eastern conference, sitting two points ahead of the Calgary Hitmen who lost 8-4 at home Sunday to the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Medicine Hat (45-17-3-1) now has an uncomplicated – though not easy – path to winning their first conference title since 2006-07. A pair of wins in the last two games of the regular season and there’s a new banner to hang in the rafters at Co-op Place.
“We justhave to focus game-by-game, play in our system, play hard and do it for the team,” Wiesblatt said. “Not for I, but just do it for a team.”
“Maybe we can keep the retro jerseys for playoffs too,” Wiesblatt joked.
