NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medcine Hat Tigers defenceman Tyson Moss celebrates his second of three goals, his first WHL hat trick, in a 10-2 win Saturday at Co-op Place over the Swift Current Broncos.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
The Medicine Hat Tigers had plenty a reason to celebrate Saturday night at Co-op Place.
A 10-2 win over the Swift Current Broncos extended the win streak to nine games, captain Bryce Pickford grabbed the WHL lead in goals with a pair and eight skaters tallied multi-point nights, five tallying three or more points. But the true highlight was 18-year-old defenceman Tyson Moss’ first career hat trick, part of a four-point night.
The Tigers bench flooded the ice to celebrate his third marker and later flooded the hallway, dumping water on the Port Moody, B.C. product while doing a postgame radio interview.
“It was awesome, every guy helped a lot and I can’t thank those guys enough,” Moss told the News, still wet from the pre-emptive shower.
The blue liner has played in 25 of the Tigers’ 32 games this season, his last game on Dc. 3, the type of player he likes to see have success head coach Willie Desjardins says.
“He has been a healthy scratch the last couple weeks and he never complains,” Desjardins said. “He called me last Sunday to see if he could come into the rink and workout on the days off, he’s always the last guy here shooting pucks. You like it when a guy that does those things gets rewarded and it was great for him to get rewarded tonight.”
The trio of goals and a second period assist gives Moss four goals and 11 points in 25 games in his second WHL season. He signed with the Tigers mid-season last year, joining them from the BCHL to fill a defensive spot and then deepen the blue line. Moss had a hard time describing the night for himself.
“It was a lot of fun tonight,” Moss said. “I’m just so thankful for everyone on the team.
“All of the guys in the room are brothers, I love them to death and we have a great culture here.”
Liam Ruck tallied a pair of goals and assist, Yaroslav Bryzgalov had four assists and Markus Ruck racked up three helpers.
The Tigers opened the score with a pair from the blue line, started with Moss’ first.
He hammered home a one-timer from the top of the slot for a 1-0 lead 1:08 into the game. Bryzgalov and Misha Volotovskii had the assists on his first of the night.
A little over eight minutes later, Veeti Väisänen threaded a shot from the point through defenders and into the back of the net for his fourth on the year. Gavin Kor and Dayton Reschny had the helpers.
The Broncos responded on a power play as Zach Pantelakis had the puck in the corner, worked his way to the crease and roofed the puck over starter Jordan Switzer for his ninth of the season, making it a 2-1 game at 12:22.
Exactly two minutes later, Bryce Pickford scored his first of the period.
Liam Ruck set up the Tigers’ captain for a one-timer on a power play, giving him 23 goals on the year. Markus Ruck had the second assist.
They struck again, with Misha Volotovskii scoring 2:23 later. Bryzgalov fed him in the slot for a one-timer off one knee, potting his 10th on the year. Josh Van Mulligen had the second assist. Volotovskii’s goal ended starter Joey Rocha’s night, finishing with four goals on eight shots.
The Broncos got on the board again with a deflection. Josh McGregor fired a shot from the point that Noah Kosick tipped in at the front of the crease to make it a 4-2 game.
Pickford struck again to make it a three-goal lead through 20 minutes. The Montreal Canadiens prospect carried the puck from his end, deking through clumps of defenders before scoring on Aiden Eskit for his second of the night, 24th of the season. Jonas Woo and Liam Ruck had the assists.
The 19-year-old defenceman leads the WHL in goals with 24, sitting two ahead of Kamloops Blazers’ forward JP Hurlbert. He leads all CHL defenceman, three ahead of OHL Barrie Colts’ blue liner Kashawn Aitcheson.
The Tigers poured it on in the second period, tallying four goals for a 9-5 lead after 40 minutes.
Dayton Reschny kept the puck on a two-on-one and scored his sixth of the year, Väisänen and Moss had the assists.
As a power play expired, Moss had the puck at the point and skated in before unleashing a laser from the top of the slot that went bar down for his second of the night, third on the year. Bryzgalov and Väisänen had the assists.
A little over two minutes later, Liam Ruck scored on a power play with a shot from the high slot for his first of the period. Kadon McCann and Markus Ruck had the assists.
The youngest Ruck twin double dipped. Markus had the puck at the half wall and fed Liam in the slot for his second of the night, 13th on the season.
The third period saw a pair of fights, with Bryzgalov and Carter Cunningham dropping the gloves and coming out on top in the bouts.
The lone goal of the third period capped off the night. Five seconds into a Tigers’ power play, Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll won the face off, he played give-and-go with Bryzgalov before dishing to Moss at the point for a one-time blast, securing the hat trick with his fourth on the year.
Medicine Hat outshot the Broncos 37-23 and won the face-off battle 41-28. The Tigers were 3-6 on the power play, Swift Current 1-3. Switzer finished with 21 saves for his 13th win on the year. Eskit made 23 saves in relief.
“All of the sudden we’re scoring but we had six goals from our defence again tonight,” Desjardins said. “Early in the year pucks weren’t going in and they seem to be going in now. It was a closer game then it looked, Swift Current has some really good speed, like some real good, young speed. I like their group but it wasn’t their night.”
Saturday’s win was victory No. 544 for Desjardins, moving him past Portland Winterhawks Mike Johnston for ninth all-time in the WHL.
The Tigers (21-6-3-2) sit atop the Eastern conference with 47 points, two up on the Edmonton Oil Kings who have two games in hand. Medicine Hat has one more game before the Holiday break, carrying the nine-game win streak into Wednesday when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings.
