Hamblin scores late game-winner to spoil Pats’ Teddy Bear Toss

The Medicine Hat Tigers shook off a slow start and rallied to defeat the Regina Pats 3-2 on Sunday at the Brandt Centre.

Tigers captain James Hamblin completed the comeback by scoring his 13th goal of the season with 90 seconds left in regulation to send the Tigers back into the win column after trailing 2-0 after 40 minutes.

Pats winger Sergei Alkhimov brought the game to a halt less than seven minutes into the first period when he crashed the net and jammed a behind-the-net feed from Cole Dubinsky past Tigers netminder Jordan Hollett for Regina’s Teddy Bear Toss goal.

Austin Pratt doubled up on the lead less than a minute later after driving to the net and tapping a bouncing rebound into the net.

Hollett kept his Tigers in the contest with 11 saves in the second to open the door for a third-period comeback, then Bryan Lockner started the road back early in the final frame. The Windsor, Colo. product put a puck past Pats goaltender Max Paddock just over a minute into the final frame when he cut into the slot and ripped a shot under the bar for his eighth of the season. Tigers prospect Cole Sillinger — playing in just his second WHL game as an affiliate — erased the deficit six minutes later by setting up Josh Williams with a cross-ice feed, silencing the Regina crowd and shifting the momentum squarely in Medicine Hat’s favour.

With a pair of points in sight, the Tigers entered the offensive zone with numbers and Corson Hopwo found Hamblin driving to the net for the game-winning tally.

Hollett collected the 30-save victory, pushing Medicine Hat to 13-13-12.

Paddock settled for a 38-save loss, dropping Regina to 8-20-0-0.

The Tigers return to the ice Tuesday in Brandon against the Wheat Kings.