Tigers double up the Hurricanes

By Dale Woodard on March 28, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com

There’s still one more game to be played, but the Medicine Hat Tigers have clinched their weekend series over the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The Tigers doubled up the Canes 6-3 in Western Hockey League play Saturday night at the Enmax Centre for their second win over Lethbridge in as many nights following a 3-0 shutout victory Friday night in Medicine Hat.

Despite a physical pushback by the Hurricanes in the third period, a barrage of shots that topped the 40-mark and a power play goal by captain Dino Kambeitz that pulled Lethbridge within two, an empty-netter by Medicine Hat’s Noah Danielson sealed the deal for the visitors. The teams wrap up the weekend back in Medicine Hat Sunday night at 6 p.m.

However, it was an unfortunate miscue that set up the shorthanded game winner as Lukas Svejkovsky — who had two goals Friday night – fleeced Hurricanes goaltender Bryan Thomson of the puck behind the Lethbridge net and shoveled a shot into a yawning cage for a 4-2 lead with 5:44 left to play in the second period.

After the goal, Thomson was pulled as backup Carter Tetachuk came on in relief.

With the loss, the Hurricanes drop to 3-6-1-0, while the Tigers improve to 6-3-0-0.

The Tigers went to the power play three seconds into the game when Hurricanes alternate captain Logan Barlage was called for high sticking right off the opening faceoff and connected on the man advantage as Nick McCarry scored 1:17 in.

The rest of the goals in the first all came on the power play. The Hurricanes pulled even on a goal from Zack Stringer at 7:37 before the Tigers got their lead back a little under two minutes later on a tally from Cole Clayton.

The goal swapping continued 39 seconds later when Canes veteran forward Justin Hall netted his seventh of the season for a 2-2 tie after 20 minutes.

But the Tigers went ahead for good as Corson Hopwo put the visitors up 3-2 4:40 into the second before Svejkovsky took advantage of Thomson’s giveaway behind the net for a 4-2 lead at the 14:16 mark of the second.

Medicine Hat padded their lead to three in the final minute of the second stanza when Brett Kemp scored with 43 seconds remaining.

Kambeitz’s second of the season 5:37 into the third pulled the Canes within two before Danielson added the empty-netter with 1:29 to go with Tetachuk on the bench.

Hopwo, Svejkovsky and Kemp each added an assist for a two-point night. Eric Van Impe and Daniel Baker each had two assists.

Liam Kindree added a pair of helpers for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes power play went 3-for-8, while the Tigers were 2-for-5 on the man advantage.

Lethbridge outshot Medicine 41-28 after getting outshot 47-22 Friday night.

Tigers rookie goaltender Beckett Langkow kicked out 38 of 41 shots.

Thomson made 15 saves on 19 shots before Tetachuk came in, turning aside seven of eight shots.

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