Tigers Fall, 5-4, to Royals
Published on October 18, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
The Tigers took on the Royals on Saturday night in Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre to kick off their B.C. road trip. The Tigers won their lone matchup with the Royals in the 2024-25 regular season.
Medicine Hat has been a fan of scoring early in the first period this season, and this game was no different. Liam Ruck found his brother Markus down low, who fired home a one-time shot to give the Tigers an early lead at 1:22. The game moved along slowly with both teams trying to build momentum. Victoria answered Medicine Hat at 4:11 with a goal from Ludovic Perreault. Misha Volotovskii would get Medicine Hat's lead back with a hard fought goal at 17:40. Volotovskii stopped a breakout attempt by the Royals by grabbing a puck out of the air. Then deking out the Victoria defenders, and firing a backhand shot through the Victoria goaltender from down low, an amazing solo effort for his sixth of the year.
The Tigers came into the second period with a 2-1 lead, but Victoria would tie the game with a goal from Reggie Newman at 4:59 on the power play. The Royals kept up their momentum and took the lead at 6:45 with a goal from Heath Nelson. The Royals would score their third in a row at 11:04 from Miles Cooper. The Tigers found the back of net just before the end of the second period to stop the Royals' momentum at 19:48. Bryce Pickford scored with a one-time shot on the power play from his office. Kyle Heger and Markus Ruck connected with the Tigers captain on the goal.
The orange and black had their best offensive showing in the third period, putting 17 shots on goal, and holding Victoria to just 6. The team fought hard to spark some energy and tie the game, and it was Dayton Reschny who scored the tying goal at 10:25. Reschny took a wrist shot from the top of the slot, using the Victoria defender as a screen to catch the goaltender off guard for his third of the year. Liam Ruck and Pickford would each get their second point of the night with the assists on the goal. Victoria managed to take their lead back just 24 seconds later with a power play goal from Odin Vauhkonen. The Tigers played hard and had many great chances to tie the game, but could not get past the Victoria goaltender who made some big saves in the third period to keep the game from going into extra time.
Special Teams:
PP: 1/6 - 16.7%
PK: 3/5 - 60.0%
Stringam Law Three Stars:
Odin Vauhkonen (1G, 1A) - Victoria
Ludovic Perreault (1G, 1A) - Victoria
Ethan Eskit (39SH, 35SV) - Victoria
Supplement King Hardest Worker:
Riley Steen
The next game on the Tigers' itinerary is Sunday, October 19th against the Vancouver Giants in the Langley Events Centre.
Western Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2025
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- Vieillard, Chiefs Hold on for Second-Straight Win Saturday, 3-2, Over Rebels - Spokane Chiefs
- Vees Battle Back for Shootout Victory - Penticton Vees
- Kraft Extends Goal-Scoring Streak to Three Games in 6-1 Wenatchee Loss Saturday - Wenatchee Wild
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- Game Preview: Cougars at Americans - Prince George Cougars
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- Oil Kings and Raiders Meet in First Bout of 2025 Playoffs Rematch - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Obobaifo, Schmidt, Titlbach Line Dominates For Giants In 5-2 Win Over Wild - Vancouver Giants
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