Tigers Win 5-2 in Wenatchee to Extend Win Streak to 10
January 29, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
The Tigers headed to Wenatchee for the first time since the Wild relocated from Winnipeg. It was the third game of their six game US road trip. The Tigers won the first two games and were looking to extend their overall winning streak to 10 games.
The Tigers got on the board only 26 seconds into the game. Gavin McKenna scored his 22nd goal of the season to extend his league leading point streak to 23 games. McKenna attempted a cross-ice pass but it was redirected into the net off a Wild defender's stick. Oasiz Wiesblatt picked up an assist on the opening goal.
Medicine Hat would strike again before the midway point of the frame. Hunter St. Martin brought the puck in down the left side and found Mathew Ward near the hashmarks with a great pass. Ward let a big one timer go off the pass that rippled the twine for his 13th of the season. Marcus Pacheco picked up the secondary assist on the goal.
The Tigers would add one more before the end of the first period. Veeti Vaisanen passed the puck along the blueline to Niilopekka Muhonen who quickly found Wiesblatt skating in. Wiesblatt let a wrister go front the right circle that found the top corner for his 22nd of the year.
6:59 into the second period, Wenatchee cut the lead to two on Luka Shcherbyna's 11th goal of the season. Coming in on a two on one break, Shcherbyna decided to keep the puck and he beat the Tigers netminder through the five hole.
Medicine Hat would reinstate their three-goal lead three minutes later. Off a turnover, Jonas Woo sent Ryder Ritchie off on a breakaway with a nice pass. Ritchie beat the Wild goalie blocker side with a quick wrister for his 18th of the campaign.
Wenatchee kept pressuring hard through the third and were able to cut the lead to two again midway through the period. Tye Spencer put back a rebound in front of the net to give the Wild some life. Caelan Joudrey and Maddix McCagherty picked up the helpers on Spencer's 11th of the season.
Late in the third period, the Wild power play unit had an opportunity and they decided to pull the goalie for a two-man advantage. The Tigers were able to turn the tables though with St. Martin icing the game with an empty net goal. It was his team leading 29th and league leading sixth shorthanded goal of the season. Wiesblatt and Bryce Pickford grabbed the assists on the empty net goal.
Jordan Switzer had a great game in net for the Tigers. He made 23 saves to record his fifth straight win and 18th overall. Brendan Gee got the start in net for the Wild. He had a solid game allowing four goals on 24 shots.
Shots:
Medicine Hat - 25
Wenatchee - 25
Special Teams:
PP: 0/3 - 0%
PK: 3/3 - 100%
Stringam Law Three Stars:
Oasiz Wiesblatt - Medicine Hat
Luka Shcherbyna - Wenatchee
Tye Spencer - Wenatchee
Supplement King Hardest Working Player: Jordan Switzer
The Tigers are back in action tomorrow night when they head to Everett to take on the Silvertips at the Angel of the Winds Arena. Game time is 8:00 PM (MST). You can listen live on Wild 94.5 FM or watch for free as part of the WHL's Wednesday Night in the Dub series on watch.chl.ca or the WHL's YouTube page.
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