
Tigers Sweep Weekend Series with Hitmen
September 24, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
Medicine Hat, AB - 3798 strong were on hand for the Medicine Hat Tigers' 5-3 home opener win over the Calgary Hitmen Saturday night.
The first 6:12 of the first period would prove to be epic for the home side as Shane Smith (Cessford, AB) would open the scoring early at 1:42 sneaking in on an odd-man rush beat Hitmen starter Ethan Buenaventura to give the Tigers the 1-0 lead.
Minutes later on a Medicine Hat power play, Andrew Basha (Calgary, AB) would finish off a passing play with Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, YT) & Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Which would be followed by another move in transition for the Tigers as McKenna would snap home his first of the season unassisted at 6:12 to move the lead to 3-0.
Calgary would respond after the media time-out and a change of goaltenders as Alex Garrett would relieve Buenaventura. David Adaszynski would sneak in behind the Tiger defence to get the Hitmen on the board at 3-1.
Calgary despite the deficit would outshoot the Tigers 8-5 in the period.
In the middle frame the Hitmen would strike twice in a span of eight seconds as Matteo Danis would re-direct a point shot beating starter Evan May (Nanaimo, BC) to make it 3-2. Then the Hitmen would tie it on a Carter Yakemchuk point shot at 9:11.
But the Tigers would respond five minutes later as Andrew Basha will sneak a knuckler of a shot past Alex Garrett for his 2nd of the game and the season to make it 4-3 Medicine Hat. Cru Hanas (Highland Village, TX) and Cayden Lindstrom. That lead would stick heading to the 3rd period.
In the third period both teams would exchange chances and power plays to either pull away for the home side or a potential tie but it wouldn't be till an extra attacker situation for Calgary and Cayden Lindstrom would steal one away from Hitmen defenceman Dax Williams and solidify the second win of the weekend for the Tigers for the 5-3 final score.
The Tigers would end up outshooting Calgary 28-25. While the power play was 2/7 and another clean sheet on the penalty kill going 4/4.
Next up for the Tigers, a date in Red Deer with the Rebels next Friday, September 29.
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