WHL Medicine Hat Tigers

Game Day Preview February 10 at Lethbridge

Published on February 10, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release


LAST GAME 5-1 W vs Regina Pats: Despite giving up the first goal of the game just 1:13 into the first period, the Medicine Hat Tigers scored five unanswered tallies on their way to a 5-1 victory over Regina in front of a sold-out Co-op Place of 6,178. Tigers goaltender Beckett Langkow was brilliant in the Tigers net making 30 saves on 31 Pats shots. While Pasha Bocharov, Kurtis Smythe, Rhett Parsons, Dallon Melin (Penalty Shot) & Oasiz Wiesblatt all hit the scoresheet.

VS LETHBRIDGE: Tonight's game marks the 7th of 8 meetings between the Tigers & Hurricanes with the most recent game coming February 4, at Co-op Place where the Tigers scored three consecutive goals 5 on 5 to defeat the Hurricanes 4-2. Logan McCutcheon & Tyson Laventure opened the score on two Lethbridge power plays before Oasiz Wiesblatt with a pair of goals including the game winner would get the Tigers past the Hurricanes for just the second time this year.

In the season series Andrew Basha leads all Tigers in scoring with three goals and five assists playing in all six games, while Oasiz Wiesblatt has 7 points in the season series with Lethbridge with five goals and two assists.

Dating back to the 1987-88 WHL Season, the Tigers hold a 159-124-8-4 record with 6 ties, on the road against the Hurricanes, the Tigers are 68-72-5-1 with three ties.

HEAD TO HEAD

Sept 23 @ MH (9-1 W) Dec 27 @ LET (3-2 L)

Sept 30 @ LET (5-4 L) Feb 4 @ MH (4-2 W)

Nov 5 @ MH (3-2 L) Feb 10 @ LET

Dec 9 @ LET(5-3 L) Feb 11 @ MH

TALE OF THE TAPE

MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (21-21-7-1) 50pts

4TH in Central Division

8TH in Eastern Conference

PP - Overall 41/214 - 19.2% - Away 21/113 - 18.6%

Vs LET - 4/11 - 36.3% @ LET - 2/15 - 13.3%

PK - Overall 159/215 -74.0% - Away 83/117 -70.9%

Vs LET - 16/19 - 84.2% @ LET 9/13 - 69.2%

LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES (27-18-3-2) 59pts

2ND in Central Division

5TH in Eastern Conference

PP - Overall 42/207 - 20.3% - Home 17/110 - 15.5%

Vs MH - 4/13 - 30.7% @MH - 3/19 - 15.7%

PK -Overall 158/198 -79.8% - Home 88/103 - 85.4%

Vs MH - 13/15 - 86.6 @MH - 7/11 - 63.6%

2022-23 REGULAR SEASON STAT LEADERS

Goals - Lee & Wiesblatt (20) Assists - Basha (31)

Points - Wiesblatt (44) +/- Basha (+16)

PIMS - Wiesblatt (66) Wins - Langkow (18)

Shutouts - N/A Save % - May .890%

GAA - Langkow (3.23)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

- Andrew Basha 49 GP: 11-31-42 PTS - Oasiz Wiesblatt 50 GP: 20-24-44 PTS

- Brayden Boehm 50 GP: 18-17-35 PTS - Brenden Lee 39 GP: 20-18-38 PTS

- Dru Krebs 49 GP: 5-26-31 PTS - Cayden Lindstrom 43 GP: 14-16-28 PTS (06 Born)

- Dallon Melin 49 GP: 13-20-33 PTS - Bogdans Hodass 38 GP: 9-15-24 PTS

- Pasha Bocharov 50: 11-13-24

MILESTONE WATCH

- Dru Krebs: 6 GP away from 200 GP - Andrew Basha: 3 GP away from 100 Career GP

- Owen MacNeil: 20 GP away from 200 Career GP - Bogdans Hodass: 5 GP from 100 Career GP

- Rhett Parsons: 17 GP from 150 Career GP - Oasiz Wiesblatt: 13 GP from 150 Career GP

NEWS & NOTES

When Defenders Attack: The Tigers defence core of Kurtis Smythe, Rhett Parsons, Bogdans Hodass, Dru Krebs, Pasha Bocharov, Josh Van Mulligen & Reid Andresen have contributed to 132 points (35 goals, 97) assists)

Just Like He Dru It Up: Tigers defenceman and Washington Capitals prospect Dru Krebs is tied for 14th in WHL Defencemen points (5 goals, 26 points) in 49 games.

Busy Beckett: Tigers goaltender Beckett Langkow is 2nd amongst WHL goaltenders with minutes played, 2301, as well as he leader in games played with 40.

The Chetwynd Kid: Tigers Centre Cayden Lindstrom is 8th in WHL Rookie scoring with 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) in 43 games played.

From Cessford with Love: Tigers Rookie Forward Shane Smith is 3rd in Rookie goal scoring with 16.

Man Down, No Problem: Going into tonight's game against Swift Current, the Tigers are 7th in shorthanded goals for in the WHL with 9, (Smith x2, St. Martin, Bocharov, Boehm x2, MacNeil, Lee, Melin)

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 13 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.

Latvian Leap: Second year defenceman Bogdans Hodass represented Team Lativa at the completed 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the second straight year. Hodass had 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists. As he returns to the Tigers line-up in 27 GP, Hodass has 7 goals & 13 assists for 20 points.)

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.

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 (11): 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 - 12 - 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

Sun Jan 29 @ Regina Pats (6-4 W) Fri Feb 10 Vs Lethbridge Hurricanes (7pm)

Sat Feb 4 Vs Lethbridge Hurricanes (4-2 W) Sun Feb 11 Vs Lethbridge Hurricanes (7pm)

Sun Feb 5 Vs Regina Pats (5-1 W) Sat Feb 18 Vs Red Deer Rebels (7pm)

Check out the Medicine Hat Tigers Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2023


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