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Medicine Hat Tigers

Game 17: November 14 vs. Kootenay

November 14, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release


VS. ICE: Tonight marks third game between these two teams and second in as many weekends with the Tigers falling in overtime last Friday. The Ice are coming off of a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of the Calgary Hitmen last night, while the Tigers took a tough 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Tri-City Americans just 24 hours ago. Austin Lotz faced the Ice in their two meetings this season, so either Mack Shields or Nick Schneider will make their first start against the squad this year.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP:

Kootenay hasn't won since the game last weekend in overtime in Cranbrook and are coming off of losses to Calgary and Lethbridge, 6-0 and 3-2 respectively

Medicine Hat is winless in their last 4 games, however picking up two points with overtime and shootout losses to Kootenay and Red Deer last weekend as they sit just ahead of the Ice in the standings with 13 points

For Medicine Hat it marks the first time the squad has started a season below .500 after 16 games since the 2012-13 edition of the Tigers, they ended the season 3 games above .500 with a 36-33-2-1 record

2015-16 WHL RANKINGS: Record (5-8-2-1).   Central Div. - 5th Eastern Con. - 11th Home - (4-5-0-1) Away (1-3-2-0)

TIGERS FAST FACTS:

Since the WHL started keeping online stats during the 1996-97 season, Medicine Hat has only had 2 seasons where they have had less than 13 points to start the year after 16 games (8 points in 1997-98 and 11 points in 2001-02)

Tigers Cole Sanford made his return from injury last night against Tri-City to give the Tigers an offensive punch and he delivered with a goal and an assist

Newly acquired Mack Shields comes into this season appearing in 8 games for Prince George with a 3.29 GAA and 0.880 save percentage, Shields in his career against his new team (MH) went 2-3-0-0 with a 0.879 save percentage while with Calgary

SHIELDS: Mack Shields could make his debut tonight against the Kootenay Ice. The Ice has always been a hard opponent for the Tabbies, over the past 5 seasons the teams have split their games with 13-13-1-0 records. For Shields he has appeared in 13 games against the Ice in the regular season, sporting a 4-7-0-0 record over that span. Shields is no stranger to the boys from Cranbrook as he played in their grueling 7 games playoff series last year, winning two of the games including the decisive Game 7 in Calgary. Every season that Shields has played has resulted in the 20 year old from Saskatoon heading to the post season and Shields will make a case for Tigers fans to reach that plateau once again.

HOME - RISK OR REWARD: Medicine Hat has always been known to have a potent power play. Gone are the days of seeing Tyler Ennis or Emerson Etem tally a power play marker in front of the Tigers faithful. Now, the torch has been passed on to the likes of Cole Sanford and Steven Owre to make the horn sound off. This season is no different as the Tabbies are at the top of the WHL in power play at home, sporting a 29.3% mark, which is good for 4th in the league. However, Medicine Hat has given up the most shorthanded goals this season with 5. Hockey fans always know that the man advantage is a tough business and always has high risk for high reward. If the Tabbies last 4 seasons on the power play at home is a trend then they should have no problem finding the back of the net (last 4 years placement in the WHL: 14th, 8th, 12th and 10th)

2015-16 CLUB LEADERS:

Goals (8) Steven Owre Assists (14) Steven Owre Points (22) Steven Owre

PIM (39) Connor Clouston Plus/Minus (+7) Steven Owre Wins (3) Nick Schneider

SPECIAL TEAMS:

POWER PLAY: 13/70 - 18.6% (ranked 17th in WHL)

HOME - 12/41 - 29.3% (ranked 4th in WHL)

PENALTY KILL: 51/70 - 72.9% (ranked 20th in WHL)

HOME - 27/37 - 73.0% (ranked 21st in WHL)

TIGERS ROSTER MAKEUP: The Tigers currently have 22 players on the roster - 2 Goaltenders, 7 Defenseman, 13 forwards

AGE BREAKDOWN: 3 - 20 year olds, 5 - 19 year olds, 7 - 18 year olds, 5 - 17 year olds, and 2 - 16 year olds

NHL DRAFTED / SIGNED PLAYERS: Matt Bradley (Montreal Canadiens), Nick Schneider (Calgary Flames)

ATB FINANCIAL - TIGERS BROADCAST:Listen to legendary Bob Ridley broadcast all Tigers games on CHAT 94.5 FM. Bob Ridley has called all but one Tigers' Game in Team history since the Medicine Hat Tigers came into the league in 1970.

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