Tigers comeback to beat Hitmen in overtime Friday

By James Tubb on February 27, 2026.

Medicine Hat News

The Medicine Hat Tigers turned to a likely hero for an overtime win Friday in Calgary.

The Tigers tied the game up in the last three minutes with a goal from Josh Van Mulligen before captain Bryce Pickford scored 2:33 into overtime for a 3-2 win over the Hitmen and a fifth-straight victory for Medicine Hat.

Pickford’s goal, his 36th, is his league-leading 11th game winner of the season and his third straight win clincher. He’s scored four overtime winners for the Tigers this season.

The Hitmen opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first period. Andrei Molgachev finished off a two-on-one pass from Julien Maze for a 1-0 lead 11:19 into the game.

Medicine Hat struck at almost the same time in the second period, capitalizing on a power play. Pickford fired a puck toward the net and Noah Davidson, stationed at the top of the crease, tipped it in for his 25th of the season. Andrew Basha had the second assist.

Calgary scored with 4:11 left in the second, Maze scoring on a wraparound attempt for the 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

The Tigers pushed in the third, looking for the equalizer. After a late penalty kill, they held possession in the Calgary end. Markus and Liam Ruck played give and go with the puck, Markus passing to Liam in the slot who passed back to his older twin brother. He dished off to Van Mulligen at the point and the Medicine Hat product wired home his fourth of the season to tie the game up with 3:03 left on the clock.

The Hitmen held court to start overtime, skating up ice a few times with the puck before the Tigers generated a few turnovers, sending play back and forth. With the puck in the Medicine Hat end, Pickford skated up ice, forced out of the slot before he unleashed a shot from the circle that beat starter Eric Tu to ice the game.

Carter Casey made 18 saves for his 15th win of the season, his sixth victory over the Hitmen. Tu made 29 stops in the Calgary net. The Tigers outshot the Hitmen 32-20 and finished 1-2 on the power play. Calgary was held scoreless on a pair of power plays.

The Tigers (41-9-5-3) host the Hitmen on Saturday at Co-op Place for the final meeting between the Central division foes.