Tiger Tales: Orange Crush
July 24, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
Medicine Hat, AB - February 25, 2023. The Medicine Hat Tigers look to get to .500 on the season with an encounter against the 2023 Memorial Cup host Kamloops Blazers, who have just made their moves at the WHL Trade Deadline acquiring Ryan Hofer & World Junior Gold Medalist Olen Zellweger would make their way to the BC Division looking to make waves in the spring.
It would also be the return of former Head Coach Shaun Clouston who spent 17 years with the Tigers with over 400 wins to his credit while coaching in Medicine Hat for the first time since his departure from Alberta to B.C.
The Tigers needed to keep winning but the Blazers were on a Central Division road trip and had won 11 in a row, including five for five on their Central Division road trip.
Co-op Place was busy with just over 3000 fans in attendance, it was the revealing of the Superstore Jersey contest won by Maddyson Rieger donning an orange colour scheme not seen in quite some time, and those jerseys would become a stroke of good luck on this very night.
Tigers goaltender Beckett Langkow (left) with Maddy Rieger Despite the jump in the crowd with the orange flying everywhere, it would be the Memorial Cup hosts opening the scoring as Olen Zellweger would open the scoring 2:21 into the first giving the Blazers the lead but the Tigers would find their legs following the first media timeout. Bogdans Hodass would draw things even while Reid Andresen would give the tabbies the lead after 20 with his 6th of the season at 16:23.
The Tigers onslaught of goals would carry over into a big and monumental 2nd period as Andrew Basha would net his 13th of the year just 20 seconds into the 2nd to get the Tigers off on the second and then cue Brett Calhoon. The Oliver, BC product would score on a breakaway against the team he grew up watching for his 1st WHL goal on another breakaway situation to give the orange (on this night) a 4-1 lead at the 5:00 mark.
Olen Zellweger would get his 2nd of the night shortly after to keep things tight at 4-2 in the second but Brendan Lee would bank a shot from the goal-line off Blazers goaltender Matthew Keiper with just six seconds to go in the 2nd to increase the lead to three heading to the third.
More of the same in the final stanza for the Tigers as Basha & Tyler MacKenzie would cash in, on the Tigers way to an eventual 7-3 win over the Blazers.
Tigers goaltender Beckett Langkow would make 28 saves for the win, putting the Tigers right in the conversation for a playoff berth.
Western Hockey League Stories from July 24, 2023
- Kamloops Blazers Hire Rebecca Kuresh as Athletic Therapist - Kamloops Blazers
- Tomasec to Represent Slovakia at Hlinka Gretzky Cup - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Raiders Sign Macias and Kubiesa to WHL Scholarship and Development Contracts - Prince Albert Raiders
- Three Silvertip Prospects Named to Hockey Alberta U16 Shortlist - Everett Silvertips
- Tiger Tales: Orange Crush - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Cougars Name Jim Playfair Associate Coach - Prince George Cougars
- Sopiarz Signs WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with Cougars - Prince George Cougars
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