Game Day Preview December 17 vs Kelowna
December 17, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
LAST GAME: 6-4 L Vs Red Deer Rebels: Evan May made 44 saves on 49 shots Friday Night at Co-op Place but it was the Red Deer Rebels besting the Tigers 6-4 where both teams had at least two leads and battled back to tie twice. Medicine Hat saw goals from Cayden Lindstrom, Oasiz Wiesblatt, Tyler MacKenzie & Brayden Boehm. While Jace Isley lead the way with a pair of goals including the game winner late in the 3rd. Red Deer now has a 3-1 season series edge against the Tigers.
VS KELOWNA: It's been a long time running for the Medicine Hat Tigers and Kelowna Rockets since the last time both clubs faced each other. It's been since November 8, 2019 when the Tigers notched an 8-5 win at Prospera Place in Kelowna. Current Edmonton Oiler and former Tiger James Hamblin would notch 3 assists in the win Mads Sogaard getting the win in goal.
The last time the Tigers played the Rockets at home was December 15, 2018 where Kelowna would sneak out of Co-op Place with a 2-1 win.
No current Tigers or Rockets players were on the rosters since then due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The All-Time Record between Medicine Hat and Kelowna has the Tigers with a slight 26-25-2-2 record since the 1996-97 season, while the Tigers at home are 16-8-1-1 in 26 games played.
TALE OF THE TAPE
MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (12-17-4-1) 29pts
4TH in Central Division
8TH in Eastern Conference
PP - Overall 32/151 - 21.2% - Home 16/73 - 21.9%
PK - Overall 115/152 -75.7% - Home 56/73 - 76.7%
KELOWNA ROCKETS (12-13-3) 27pts
4TH in BC Division
8TH in Western Conference
PP - Overall 30/119 - 25.2% - Away 12/58 - 20.7%
PK - Overall 100/126 - 79.4% - Away 50/63 -79.4%
2022-23 REGULAR SEASON STAT LEADERS
Goals - Lee (18) Assists - Basha (25)
Points - Lee (33) +/- Parsons (+11)
PIMS - Bocharov (48) Wins - Langkow (12)
Shutouts - N/A Save % - Langkow .887%
GAA - Langkow (3.20)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Andrew Basha 33 GP: 7-25-32 PTS - Oasiz Wiesblatt 34 GP: 14-13-27 PTS
- Brenden Lee 34 GP: 18-15-33 PTS (12 PPG) - Brayden Boehm 34 GP: 13-9-22 PTS
- Tyler MacKenzie 34 GP: 11-11-22 PTS - Dru Krebs 33 GP: 3-15-18 PTS
- Reid Andresen 34 GP: 5-14-19 PTS - Cayden Lindstrom 28 GP: 8-8-16 PTS
MILESTONE WATCH
Beckett Langkow - 3 GP from 60 Career GP Hunter St. Martin - 4 GP from 50 career GP
Brenden Lee - 1 G away from 40 Career Reid Andresen - 2 PTS away from 40 Career PTS
Brenden Lee - 2 PTS away from 75 Career PTS
NEWS & NOTES
Mr. 400: Tigers Head Coach & Willie Desjardins notched his 400th win as a Head Coach with the Medicine Hat Tigers December 10th in a 6-3 win at home against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Desjardins record in his 11 seasons coaching in the WHL. Desjardins first win as Tigers Head Coach was a 4-3 win on September 24, 2002 against the Saskatoon Blades.
Busy Beckett: Tigers Goaltender Beckett Langkow leads the WHL in minutes played with 1516 including a stretch of ten straight starts from September 24 to October 2.
Latvian Leap: Second year defenceman Bogdans Hodass will represent Team Lativa at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the second straight year. In 24 GP this season, Hodass has 4 goals and 11 assists for 15 points. At this summer's World Juniors in Edmonton, Hodass had 1 goal and 1 assist in 5 games making it to the Quarter Finals.
Defenders Attacking: The Tigers defence core of Rhett Parsons, Bogdans Hodass, Dru Krebs, Pasha Bocharov, Josh Van Mulligen & Reid Andresen have contributed to 85 points (20 goals, 65 assists)
Silver Lining: Tigers forward Tomas Mrsic returns to the Tigers after taking home a silver medal at the World U17s in Langley, BC. Mrsic had one goal and one assists for Team Canada Red. Cayden Lindstrom also participated in the U17s as a member of Team White scoring two goals and two assists in the tournament.
The Lindstrom Lightning: Tigers Centre Cayden Lindstrom is 9th in WHL Rookie scoring with 14 points (8 goals, 8 assists) in 28 games played.
From Cessford with Love: Tigers Rookie Forward Shane Smith is 3rd in Rookie goal scoring with 11 goals.
Go Shorty: Going into tonight's game in Red Deer, the Tigers are 9th in shorthanded goals for in the WHL with 4, (Smith, St. Martin, Bocharov, Boehm)
Lee's Laser: Coming into action tonight, Tigers forward Brenden Lee is 2nd in the Western Hockey League with 12 power play goals but also 2nd in the entire Canadian Hockey League.
MacNeil's Navy: The Tigers announced their leadership group for the 2022-23 WHL Season, Owen MacNeil was named the 39th Captain in Tigers history, while Rhett Parsons, Dru Krebs, Tyler MacKenzie & Dallon Melin will all wear alternate captain's A's on their jerseys this season.
HOW THE TIGERS WERE BUILT
WHL Draft (9): Andresen, Parsons, Wiesblatt, MacKenzie, Krebs, St. Martin, Boehm, Van Mulligen, Mrsic, Lindstrom, Basha, McKenna
Trade (5): Bocharov, Lee, MacNeil, Smythe & May
CHL Import Draft (1): Hodass
Listed/Signed (2): Langkow, Hanas
Waivers (1): Melin
ROSTER AGE BREAKDOWN (* indicates rookie):
Alberta - 11 -Parsons, Wiesblatt, MacKenzie, Krebs, Langkow, St. Martin *, Smith *, Melin, Van Mulligen *, MacNeil, Basha
BC - 5 - Smythe, Lindstrom *, Mrsic *, Boehm & May
Saskatchewan- 1 - Andresen
Yukon-1-McKenna*
USA - 3 - Lee, Hanas & Bocharov Latvia - 1 - Hodass
PREVIOUS THREE GAMES NEXT THREE GAMES (all times MT/SD
Tue Dec 13 @ Saskatoon Blades (8-3 L) Sat Dec 17 Vs Kelowna Rockets (7pm)
Wed Dec 14 @ Prince Albert Raiders (3-2 W) Tue Dec 27 @ Lethbridge Hurricanes (7pm)
Fri Dec 16 Vs Red Deer Rebels (6-4 L) Wed Dec 28 Vs Swift Current Broncos (7pm)
Western Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2022
- Rockets Stumble 4-1 to Tigers - Kelowna Rockets
- T-Birds Unwrap Silvertips - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Trembecky's Game-Winner Leads Royals to 6-5 Victory Over Americans - Victoria Royals
- McCleary's OT Heroics Rescue Two Points for Portland - Portland Winterhawks
- Litke, McCleary Help Cap Comeback for Hawks' 5-4 OT Win - Portland Winterhawks
- Tigers Close Out 1st Half With 4-1 Win Over Rockets - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Pats No Match for Blades in 6-1 Loss - Regina Pats
- Chiefs Close Out First Half With 5-3 Loss To Prince Albert - Spokane Chiefs
- Pats No Match for Blades in 6-1 Loss - Regina Pats
- Berezowski Records 100th Career WHL Goal, Everett Falls 5-1 - Everett Silvertips
- Hitmen Down Hurricanes 7-2 - Calgary Hitmen
- Blades Gift Fans Ninth Straight Win Heading into Christmas - Saskatoon Blades
- ICE Win Over Brandon in OT - Winnipeg Ice
- Wheat Kings Collect Single Point; Fall to Ice in OT - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Raiders End First Half Of Season With 5-3 Win Over Spokane - Prince Albert Raiders
- Americans Wrap up Doubleheader against Victoria - Tri-City Americans
- Americans Pull Even Late, Fall in Shootout to Royals - Tri-City Americans
- Chiefs Wrap up Long Road Trip against Prince Albert Saturday - Spokane Chiefs
- Game Day Preview December 17 vs Kelowna - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Pats End First-Half Schedule at Home - Regina Pats
- Game #30 - Brandon at ICE, 7:00 at the ICE Cave Inside Wayne Fleming Arena - Winnipeg Ice
- Filmon's Historic Performance Leads Broncos over Oil Kings - Swift Current Broncos
- Patton's Shootout Winner Leads Royals To 7-6 Victory Over Americans - Victoria Royals
- Cougars' Comeback Falls Short in 6-5 Overtime Loss against Blazers - Prince George Cougars
- Thunderbirds Push Past Everett - Seattle Thunderbirds
- B.C. Natives, Špunar Lead Hawks to 2-1 Win in Vancouver - Portland Winterhawks
- Giants Lose Tight Battle with Portland, 2-1 - Vancouver Giants
- May Shines in Tigers' Loss to Rebels - Medicine Hat Tigers
- B.C. Natives Help Lead Hawks to Victory in Vancouver - Portland Winterhawks
- Blades Secure Eighth Straight Victory in 8-5 Shootout vs Chiefs - Saskatoon Blades
- First Period Sinks Tips, Seattle Wins 4-1 - Everett Silvertips
- Oil Kings Lose High Scoring Affair to the Broncos - Edmonton Oil Kings
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