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WHL Medicine Hat Tigers

Tigers Stymied by Hitmen in Series Opener

April 11, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release


Medicine Hat, AB -- The hockey scheduling gods rained down on the Medicine Hat Tigers after knowing they would play the Calgary Hitmen. A packed Scotiabank Saddledome had Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals at The Arena in Medicine Hat, a somewhat home field advantage so to speak. However the Hitmen would play spolier, taking the opening game 3-1 on the road.

The opening period, like majority of the game was dominated by the Tigers in the shot department as Medicine Hat would fire 14 shots in the first period, however it was the visiting Hitmen who would strike first. Connor Rankin continued his hot streak potting his 8th of the playoffs after the Tigers turned the puck over behind their net. Rankin blasted a slap shot off the cross bar and in to give the Hitmen a 1-0 lead. With just under 4 minutes left in the frame, Calgary would score again on just their 5th shot on goal of the game. Vancouver Canucks 1st rounder Jake Virtanen netted his 1st of the playoffs sliding home a wrap around for a 2-0 lead.

Dryden Hunt would cut into the lead with only 10 second left in the opening frame, a high hard bullet of a shot which found the short side on goaltender Mack Shields would get the electric crowd in a frenzy heading into the break.

The middle frame was typical of the previous series, tight checking and no where to move. A warm Medicine Hat Arena also made for some soft ice, causing the puck to bounce end over end multiple times, normally over a Tigers stick. The Tigers limited the Hitmen to just 3 shots in the period, all easy stops for Marek Langhamer, making his 7th straight appearance in the net dating back to the regular season. The Tigers would throw 10 shots at Shields for a two period total of 24. The score remained the same a 2-1 edge for the visiting Hitmen.

Third periods are always tough in the post season, but playing another division rival the Tigers knew they needed the next goal. Medicine Hat would push but nothing seemed to be able to find the back of the net, including many goal mouth scrambles. The Tigers would also start throwing puck on net from all angles on Shields looking for a cheap equalizer. The Arena would be silenced however just before the midway point of the frame as Chase Lang was able to squeek a loose puck past Langhamer and trickled across the goal line to extend the lead to 2 goals. It was a lead the Tigers could not come back from, and although a valient effort down the stretch, fell in Game 1, 3-1.

TIGERS FAST FACTS

The Tigers held the Hitmen's top scorer in Adam Tambellini off the scoresheet for the first time in 7 games this post season Calgary's Connor Rankin has 4 goals in his last 2 games Cole Sanford has his 5 game point streak this post season snapped

Three Stars of the Game:

1. Mack Shields - CGY - (33 saves, W)

2. Jake Virtanen - CGY - (1G, 1A)

3. Markus Eisenschmid - MH - (1A)

The two teams will head to Calgary for back to back games on Sunday and Monday for game's 2 and 3 before heading back to the Hat on Wednesday for Game 4.

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2015


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