Medicine Hat Cubs forward Cooper Hilworth loads up for a shot in the first period of the Cubs 3-2 loss to the Okotoks Bisons in Game 3 of the South Finals Saturday. - NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Cubs are in tough in the HJHL’s South Final.
After an 8-0 loss in Okotoks Friday and a close 3-2 defeat Saturday night at the Kinplex, the Cubs trail the Bisons 3-0 in the bet-of-seven series. Their chance to get back into the series and stave off elimination goes tonight at 8:15 p.m. at the Kinplex.
The Bisons have been trouble for the Cubs all season long, beating them in all eight of their matchups this year including playoffs.
Cubs head coach and general manager Randy Wong acknowledged his team’s struggles with the Bisons but said they can’t worry about that.
“That vulnerability that you have against some teams, it doesn’t seem to matter what place some teams are some years, there’s that one team you seem to struggle with and obviously Okotoks is our nemesis,” Wong said. “You can’t really worry about it, it’s one more game, it’s Game 4 that you have to win and you have to put everything on the line and see what the outcome is.”
Okotoks has held the Cubs off the scoresheet all series, limiting them to four goals over three games. Wong said the Cubs had their chances in Game 3 but just didn’t capitalize.
“We had chances too, they broke down and we had our chances to score and that’s the difference,” Wong said. “They capitalized on our mistakes but we didn’t on theirs. So, we have to be ready to bury those and come out a little bit hungry and make sure we do it for 60 minutes.”
Netminder Dawsen Savage has kept the Cubs in the series while facing 95 shots in eight periods of action. Wong said Savage has been their guy in the playoffs. He said Savage has been making the saves when the Cubs needed it and wishes he would be rewarded for it.
“I wish we could return the favour with a big goal at the other end to show our efforts and give him a break,” Wong said. “That’s been the struggle this series, is that we haven’t responded. For every big save he makes we need a big goal.”
When asked how the Cubs can get that offence going and fight off elimination tonight, Wong said it’s going to take a team effort.
“It’s tough, you can talk about it all you want but it’s up to the guys to do it,” Wong said.
“We haven’t changed the lines too much, there has to be chemistry there. You can’t do it yourself and that’s the message, you have to stay as a team, work as an unit and that’s how you’re going to get through this. If at anytime you think you’re going to do it by yourself, you won’t get rewarded for that. We can’t let that creep in where guys are going to try and dangle in by themselves. It has to be a team effort and that’s what we’re going to look to bring in Game 4.”
