Tabbies blank Hurricanes
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Corson Hopwo scores on Lethbridge Hurricanes goaltender Carl Tetachuk during a Western Hockey League game at Co-op Place on Friday. The Tigers more than doubled the ’Canes in shots, 47-22, en route to a 3-0 shutout win.
The well-rested Medicine
Hat Tigers overwhelmed the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a 3-0 victory to open a three-game set Friday night at Co-op Place.
Coming off their first bye week of the season, the Tigers tilted the ice in their favour early and kept it that way despite a 44-save effort from Hurricanes netminder Carl Tetachuk.
Oasiz Wiesblatt put Medicine Hat in early penalty trouble when he was nabbed for high sticking just over three minutes into regulation — but the Tabbies quickly turned the tables.
After winning the defensive zone draw, the Tigers broke out of their own end and Brett Kemp found Corson Hopwo to finish off an odd-man rush with a shorthanded opening tally.
Daniel Baker joined Wiesblatt in the bin shortly after the goal, but Medicine Hat killed off the short two-man advantage.
The Tigers then went on to pepper Tetachuk with 17 shots in the opening frame while allowing just six, but the Lethbridge netminder held strong to keep his team in a one-goal game.
Medicine Hat continued to lay the pressure on thick in the second — extending the shot differential to 36-13 after 40 minutes — but Tetachuk stopped all 19 pucks he saw in the middle frame.
Lukas Svejkovsky finally extended the lead in the opening minute of the third period by ripping a shot off the bar and past Tetachuk in his first game back after missing two to injury.
Svejkovsky pushed the game out of reach 11 minutes later when he jammed home a rebound in the blue paint — giving 15-year-old defenceman Reid Andresen his first career point in his Western Hockey League debut.
Tigers goaltender Garin Bjorklund turned away all 22 shots he faced to lock up the shutout and push Medicine Hat to 5-3-0-0 on the season. Lethbridge fell to 3-5-1-0 with the loss.
The Tigers and Hurricanes make the trip to the Enmax Centre for a rematch Saturday at 7 p.m. before closing out the three-game set on Sunday in Medicine Hat at 6 p.m.