NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Tyson Moss unleashes a one-timer in the third period of a 10-2 win Saturday at Co-op Place over the Swift Current Broncos. Moss recorded his first career WHL hat trick in the win.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers are riding high heading into the last week of the first half.
The Tigers picked up a pair of home wins over the weekend, beating the Moose Jaw Warriors 6-5 in overtime Friday before drubbing the Swift Current Broncos 10-2 Saturday.
The wins extend their current streak to nine games, tying the Edmonton Oil Kings for the longest win streak in the league this season. Medicine Hat passed those same Oil Kings for first in the Central division entering play Tuesday, though Edmonton holds a game in hand.
“Lot’s of different guys are contributing, have to like Pickford and Woo, they’re pretty special,” head coach Willie Desjardins said. “Jordan Switzer has come in and played some good games and I’ve been able to roll four lines. It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to roll four lines all the time, it’s nice to be able to do that.”
The Tigers had five different goal scorers Friday with Ethan Neutens, Kadon McCann, Markus Ruck, Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll and Bryce Pickford all finding the back of the net.
The Tigers captain scored twice in the win, including the OT winner. Pickford scored twice more in Saturday’s win, putting him atop the WHL in goals with 24. His first tally Saturday was the game winner, his league-leading seventh. He’s notched 11 goals in his last five games and has five straight multi-goal efforts.
The true highlight from Saturday’s win, beyond eight multi-point nights, was 18-year-old defenceman Tyson Moss’ first career hat trick, part of a four-point night.
“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.”
The blue liner was named the WHL rookie of the week for his efforts. He has played in 25 of the Tigers’ 32 games this season, his last game on Dec. 3, the type of player he likes to see have success, 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.”
Liam Ruck had a four-point night with two goals and two assists, Yaroslav Bryzgalov had four assists. Dayton Reschny had a goal and assist, and Veeti Väisänen had a goal and two assists in his last game before the World Juniors. The 19-year-old was named to Finland’s roster for the World Juniors for a second-straight year, heading to Minnesota with some more pep after finding the back of the net.
“It gives some more confidence in the O-zone to get a couple points in this game,” Väisänen said. “But it’s going to be a tough tournament, maybe accept points won’t come but play for the win.”
Friday’s game was the return of Gordon-Carroll and defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen, both out of the lineup since the end of October with injury.
“They both looked good,” Desjardins said Friday. “It’s going to take a while, you can’t be out that long and then come right back in. But it was good to have them both in the lineup.”
The Tigers have one more game before the Holiday break, hosting the Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday. Brandon is 8-2 in their last 10 games and plays in Red Deer on Tuesday. Liam Ruck says the pair of wins, and the nine-game streak, gives them a boost as they look to hit the double-digit mark.
“We know we’re a great team, though we kind of expect it,” Ruck said. “We know we have a chance to win every night and we just have to keep playing hard.”
