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WHL Medicine Hat Tigers

Tigers Open Weekend with 5-4 Loss to Edmonton

February 22, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release


The Tigers hosted the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday night at Co-op Place. It was the seventh meeting of the season with the two teams having split the previous games. The two teams will finish off the season series on Sunday in Edmonton.

The Tigers opened the scoring midway through the first period. Hunter St. Martin centered the puck from behind the net to Veeti Vaisanen, who let a wrister go that found the top corner. Mathew Ward also picked up a helper on Vaisanen's second goal of the season.

The Oil Kings would respond with a pair of goals before the end of the opening frame. With just under four minutes remaining, Road Woodward skated through the slot and let a shot go from the left side that found the netting for his 19th of the year. Gracyn Sawchyn picked up the assist on the tying goal. Less than a minute later, Landon Hanson gave the Oil Kings th lead with his 13th goal. Rhys Pederson passed the puck down who to Hanson. He skated up with the puck to the goal line and let a high shot go that found the gap between the goalie's shoulder and the cross bar.

The Tigers battled back and tied the game at 2-2 early in the second period. Gavin McKenna found Oasiz Wiesblatt cutting the crease with a pass that he was able to tuck in for his 28th. Ryder Ritchie found the scoresheet with the secondary assist. McKenna's assist was his 100th point of the season and extended his point streak to 33 games.

The Tigers' power play went to work just before the midway mark of the second. Tanner Molendyk made a fantastic pass to find Liam Ruck parked at the side of the net. Ruck tapped in the puck for the 18th goal of his rookie season.

Edmonton would strike again with a pair of late goals in the period to retake the lead once again. With 5:22 remaining in the period, Sawchyn let a wrister go from the point that found it's way through traffic and under the goalie's arm. Hanson and Gavin Hodnett picked up the helpers on Sawchyn's 26th. Three minutes later, Josh Mori grabbed a loose puck and let a wrister go from the slot that gave the Oil Kings a one goal lead heading into the third. The goal was Mori's second of the season.

The Oil Kings would increase their lead to two just after the midway point of the third. Coming down on an odd man rush, Hodnett passed the puck across the slot to Adam Jecho and he let a big one timer go that found the top corner. Hanson picked up the secondary assist on the insurance marker.

Medicine Hat would get one back with six minutes remaining in the game. Ritchie finished off a nice tic tac toe passing play from McKenna and Molendyk with a wrister that rippled the twine. The power play marker was Ritchie's 23rd of the season.

With time running out, the Tigers pulled the netminder and went with the extra attacker. They had a few chances but unfortunately the buzzer would go before they could get the tying goal.

Harrison Meneghin got the start in net for the Tigers. He saved 22 of the 27 shots he faced. Alex Worthington was in net for the Oil Kings. He picked up his 20th victory, allowing four goals against on 35 shots

Shots:

Medicine Hat - 35

Edmonton - 27

Special Teams:

PP: 2/3 - 66.7%

PK: 4/5 - 80.0%

Stringam Law Three Stars:

Gavin Hodnett - Edmonton

Tanner Molendyk - Medicine Hat

Gavin McKenna - Medicine Hat

Supplement King Hardest Working Player: Veeti Vaisanen

The Tigers are back in action tomorrow night when they host the Kamloops Blazers for the first time since February of 2023. Game time is 7:00 PM (MST) and tickets are available at tixx.ca. You can also listen live on Wild 94.5 FM or watch on watch.chl.ca.

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