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WHL Medicine Hat Tigers

Third Period Comeback Solidifies 4-3 Win

March 14, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release


Medicine Hat, AB - The Medicine Hat Tigers went into a do or die game on Sunday afternoon against the Calgary Hitmen, a team who had won 3 straight games heading into the tilt. The Tigers on the other hand were coming off of a tough 4-3 defeat to the Kootenay Ice, but the boys put the loss behind them and came roaring back in a memorable third period.

The game started very tight checking as both teams didn't give into their defensive systems. Veteran coaches Mark French and Shaun Clouston were on their game, only surrendering 14 shots in the period combined. Medicine Hat would open the scoring as a red hot Zach Fischer found the back of the net on the power play for his 6th of the season. Leading Tigers scorer Chad Butcher picked up another point, moving his career high point total to 71. Travis Sanheim would extend his point streak to 10 games on a power play of their own with his 14th of the season past Tigers starter Mack Shields to tie the game at 1. An unfortunate play for the Tabbies however forced Shields out of the game as a driving Carsen Twarynski bowled over the goaltender and Nick Schneider was forced to pick up the slack in relief.

In the middle frame the Hitmen jumped out to the early lead as Radel Fazleev scored his 19th of the season and both he and Jakob Stukel extended their point streaks on the play. Moments after the goal, Tigers toug guy Connor Clouston took exception to the Twarynski play in the first period as the two dropped the mitts. Later in the period Bryce Platt scored just just his 4th of the year to extend the lead to 3-1 Hitmen heading into the intermission.

Medicine Hat got a great start in the final period, looking to tie the game and get any critical points they can from the Hitmen who had already punched their ticket to the post season a few weeks earlier. Mason Shaw started the comeback with his 17th of the season just one minute into the period, cutting the lead down to 3-2. David Quenneville scored one of the bigger goals of his career just before the midway point of the period, burying his 12th of the season with Butcher picking up another point on the play.

But it was a familiar face who scored what would be the eventual game winner as Matt Bradley, hero in Edmonton a few weeks ago, potted his 23rd of the year with just under 9 minutes left in the regulation to complete the comeback for the Tabbies and gave them the 4-3 lead.

Schneider and the rest of the Tigers fended off a large attack by the Hitmen in the dying minutes of the game as the Hitmen pulled the goalie with just over a minute left in the game. The buzzer sounded and the Tabbies did their job and picked up 2 more critical points.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:

1. DAVID QUENNEVILLE - MH - (1G, 1A)

2. JAKOB STUKEL - CGY - (2A)

3. MASON SHAW - MH - (1G, 1A)

Medicine Hat now has just 2 games remaining, next weekend as they take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a home and home series.

Chasing the Edmonton Oil Kings, who won on Sunday night to keep the Tabbies 2 points behind, play 3 more games (Tuesday vs. Kootenay, Thursday vs. Red Deer and Saturday vs. Red Deer). Medicine Hat will know their fate heading into the weekend, but both games will be must win no matter what to finish the season on a high note.

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