Canes and Tigers ready for Game 7 battle

Steven Owre will never forget his last Game 7.

Three years ago, the Medicine Hat Tigers forward scored his team’s first goal on home ice en route to a 3-1 win over the Kootenay Ice.

The fact he can tell you exactly how it happened should tell you all you need to know about its importance.

“It was a crazy one, I think it was a point shot from (Markus) Eisenschmid,” said Owre. “I got knocked down in front, I remember swinging my stick as I was on my back and it tipped my stick and went in.

“The Arena always had that atmosphere every game, but in Game 7 it’s just that much crazier. I remember everyone erupting; it was a pretty cool feeling.”

Tonight, he leads the Tabbies in a similar position as they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes with a spot in the WHL Eastern Conference finals again at stake. A sellout — the team’s first since opening night a year and a half ago at the Canalta Centre — is in the offing. Old superfans are pulling out their wellworn costumes.

All the players can do is focus on the task at hand. That might be the biggest challenge with two rival fanbases amping up for a do-or-die night.

“It changes a little bit,” said Owre of the difference between any other playoff game and this Game 7. “Everyone’s fighting for their lives, because it’s Lethbridge, the cities and all the rivalry makes it that much more intense. There’s bets between companies and mayors and what-not, so it’s definitely a bigger scale than a normal series.”

History favours both sides. Medicine Hat teams have won their last six WHL Game 7’s and are 10-2 all-time. Their last loss? To Lethbridge, way back in 1991, the last time the franchises met in the post-season.

As for the Hurricanes, they’ve won their last five Game 7’s and their city’s teams are 6-1, including a 1-1 record back when they were the Broncos. They do have the recent experience of beating Red Deer in this year’s first round, but those extra games versus Medicine Hat’s four-game sweep of Brandon might also be a factor of fatigue.

“There’s times that I expected them to look a little more tired than they have,” said Tigers coach and general manager Shaun Clouston when asked of the Hurricanes’ handful of injuries and reliance on their top line. “What (Tyler) Wong and (Giorgio) Estephan have done this series has been unbelievable, it’s been spectacular. They’ve played an absolute ton every night, almost like two lines.

“Now the challenge is can they keep it going? So far they’ve been very effective at doing that. We have to expect them to be able to do that again and match it.”

Watch for an emotional start lifted by the 6,000-or-so fans, but after that the Tigers like their chances of wearing down the Hurricanes.

“All year we’ve called ourselves a speed team, so with any team we try and wear them down, hopefully by the end of the game every team is tired,” said captain Clayton Kirichenko, who can’t remember ever playing a Game 7. “In our minds we like to think they’re maybe getting a little tired here, but I think if we use our speed we believe no team can skate with us. But who knows, right? You don’t know what’s going on in their locker room.”

What’s going on in Medicine Hat’s is a message of being relaxed amid all the noise. Clouston noted you have to enjoy it, but also maintain focus. It can be a tricky balance.

“It’s do or die but at the same time it’s just another hockey game,” added Owre. “You’ve got to make sure you’re not getting too riled up, going over the edge a bit.”