Tigers Drop Tuesday Night Affair to Thunderbirds
October 12, 2022 – Western Hockey League (WHL) – Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
Kent, WA – The Medicine Hat Tigers took their first regulation loss on their US Division roadtrip Tuesday night falling 5-2 to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
The 1st period saw plenty of opportunities for both clubs but it would Kyle Crnkovic scoring on a Seattle power play at 4:17. But on the second power play chance for the Thunderbirds, the Tigers would cash in as Hunter St. Martin (Edmonton, AB) snuck in on a breakaway beating Seattle goaltender Thomas Milic at 5:54 for St. Martin’s 1st Western Hockey League goal, the 1st shorthanded goal of the year for Medicine Hat. St. Martin’s goal adds to Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) & Shane Smith (Cessford, AB) as WHL first goals on the road trip so far. Tigers and T-Birds would take a 1-1 draw into the 1st intermission.
The second period would see both clubs make the most of their opportunities but both Beckett Langkow (Fort Saskatchewan, AB) and Milic busy with stops but Gracyn Sawchyn would make 2-1 Seattle just as a Tiger penalty would expire at 8:46.
Seattle would take their one goal lead to the 3rd period and never relinquished it despite a wild 12 minute mark. On a Tiger power play Schafer would get his second of the game on a breakway beating Langkow but ten seconds later still on the power play Reid Andresen (Saskatoon, SK) would score his second of the year from Andrew Basha (Calgary, AB) & Oasiz Wiesblatt (Calgary, AB). But 33 seconds later it would be Gabe Ludwig scoring to give the Thunderbirds a 4-2 lead. Tigers would try to rally down two again in as many games in third but Schafer would score his hattrick to finish things off with a second left in regulation for a 5-2 Seattle victory.
Medicine Hat drops their record to 2-3-1 and 1-1-1 on their road trip through the US Division. The Tigers power play was 1/5 on the evening while they end up 4/5 on the penalty kill. Final shots on goal saw the saw the Tigers give up 31 to Seattle while firing 27 towards Thomas Milic in the loss.
It’s a tight turn for the Tigers as they’ll travel to Kennwick, WA for a tilt with the Tri City Americans Wednesday night before closing out their trip Friday in Spokane.
You can catch all the action on the home of the Tigers Wild 94.5 with Gino De Paoli Wednesday starting with the pre-game show at 7:45.
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