Game Day Preview December 3 vs Saskatoon - Teddy Bear Toss Night
December 3, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL) - Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
LAST GAME: 4-3 W @ Calgary Hitmen: For the first time this season, the Medicine Hat Tigers defeated the Calgary Hitmen Friday night at Scotiabank Saddledome where the Tigers got off to a flying start with Dru Krebs, Andrew Basha and Reid Andresen all scoring to get Medicine Hat out to a 3-0 lead but Calgary would turn the tide halfway through the second period rattling off three straight goals in 3:16 to square things all even through 40 minutes of play. Thanks to a 19 save third period from Beckett Langkow and a power play goal from Brenden Lee with 1:39 left in regulation would help the Tigers come away with the regulation win against their Central Division rivals.
VS SASKATOON: It's the 3rd meeting of the season between the Tigers and the Blades with the first meeting happening at Co-op Place with Saskatoon winning 2-1 on October 28.. Tyler Parr would score back to back power play goals in the third period to lead the way for Saskatoon while Tyler Mackenzie would answer for Medicine Hat. Blades goaltender Austin Elliot would make 28 saves in the win while Tigers goaltender Evan May would 29 stops in the loss.
On November 18 in Saskatoon it was a back and forth affair between the Tigers and Blades, Andrew Basha, Brayden Boehm & Brenden Lee would all score in an eventual 4-3 overtime loss to the Blades with Egor Sidorov scoring the game winner 1:11 to the extra frame.
Head to Head since 1996-97, the Tigers have a 51-41-8-3 record along with a tie and a 29-18-4-1 record on home ice.
HEAD TO HEAD
2021-22 2022-23
Oct 15 @ SAS (4-0 L) Oct 28 @ MH (2-1 L)
Oct 30 @ MH (4-2 L) Nov 18 @ SAS (4-3 OTL)
Jan 21 @ SAS (9-2 L) Dec 3 @ MH
Apr 5 @ MH (4-0 L) Dec 13 @ SAS
TALE OF THE TAPE
MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (9-12-4-1) 21pts
5TH in Central Division
9TH in Eastern Conference
PP - Overall 27/121 - 22.3% - Home: 14/65 - 21.5%
Vs SAS - 1/2 - 50% @ SAS - 1/5 - 20%
PK - Overall 92/120 - 76.7 - Away 42/57 - 73.7%
Vs SAS - 5/7 - 71.4% @ SAS 4/5 - 80%
SASKATOON BLADES (18-5) 36pts
2nd in East Division
3rd in Eastern Conference
PP - Overall 26/99 - 26.3% - Away 10/51 -19.6%
Vs MH - 1/3 - 33.3% @MH - 1/2 - 50.0%
PK - Overall 89/100 - 89.0% - Home - 43/51 -84.3%
Vs MH - 2/3 - 66.6% @MH - 7/8 - 87.5%
2022-23 REGULAR SEASON STAT LEADERS
Goals - Lee (15) Assists - Basha (20)
Points - Basha (27) +/- Basha (+9)
PIMS - Bocharov (41) Wins - Langkow (9)
Shutouts - N/A Save % - Langkow .894%
GAA - Langkow (3.04)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Andrew Basha 25 GP: 7-20-27 PTS - Oasiz Wiesblatt 26 GP: 10-10-20 PTS
- Brenden Lee 26 GP: 15-11-26 PTS (10 PPG) - Brayden Boehm 26 GP: 9-8-17 PTS - Tyler MacKenzie 26 GP: 9-8-17 PTS - Dru Krebs 25 GP: 2-12-14 PTS
- Reid Andresen 26 GP: 5-12-17 PTS
MILESTONE WATCH
Dru Krebs - 2 points away from 60 in his career Braydon Boehm - 2 points away from 70 in career
Owen MacNeil - 4 points from 50 in his career Hunter St. Martin - 10 GP from 50 career GP
Tyler MacKenzie - 4 games away from 100 GP
HC/GM Willie Desjardins - 2 wins away from 400 as Tigers Head Coach
NEWS & NOTES
Let The Fur Fly!: Bodgans Hodass scored last year's Teddy Bear goal against the Brandon Wheat Kings, only one Tiger has scored more than one Teddy Bear Toss goal at home, Emerson Etem back in the 2010 & 2011 Teddy Bear Toss Games. The first Teddy Bear Toss goal was scored on December 7, 2005 by Kris Russell in a 4-2 loss to the Spokane Chiefs. This will be the second Teddy Bear Toss game at Medicine Hat for Saskatoon, with the Blades winning 2-1 in a shootout win on December 3, 2009.
Teddy Bear Toss History: Your most recent Teddy Bear Toss Goal Scorers include Bogdans Hodass (2021), Matt Kempe (2019), James Hamblin (2018), David Quennville (2018), Max Gerlach (2016) & Matt Bradley (2015).
Defenders Attacking: The Tigers defence core of Rhett Parsons, Bogdans Hodass, Dru Krebs, Pasha Bocharov, Josh Van Mulligen, Reid Andresen & Josh Van Mulligen have contributed to 70 points (16 goals, 54 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.
Smith, Shane Smith: Tigers Rookie Forward Shane Smith, leads all Tiger rookies in scoring with 10 points (8 goals, 2 assists), while the Cessford, AB product is 14th in WHL Rookie Scoring and 3rd in Rookie goals this season.
Go Shorty: Going into tonight's game in Red Deer, the Tigers are 6th 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 1st in the Western Hockey League with 10 power play goals but also 2nd in the entire Canadian Hockey League.
Behind the Bench: This is Tigers Head Coach Willie Desjardins' 11th season coaching the Tigers in two different tenures and is just 2 wins away from 400 while coaching the Orange & Black.
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 (10): Andresen, Parsons, Shtrom, 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-McKenna*
USA - 2 - Hanas, Bocharov Latvia - 1 - Hodass
PREVIOUS THREE GAMES NEXT THREE GAMES (all times MT/SD
Sat Nov 26 Vs Calgary Hitmen (5-2 L) Sat Dec 3 Vs Saskatoon Blades (7pm)
Sun Nov 27 Vs Prince Albert Raiders (4-2 L) Tue Dec 6 @ Edmonton Oil Kings (7pm)
Fri Dec 2 @ Calgary Hitmen (4-3 W) Wed Dec 7 @ Red Deer Rebels (7pm)
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Western Hockey League Stories from December 3, 2022
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- Giants Come Up Short Friday In Kamloops, 3-0 - Vancouver Giants
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