Tigers take weekend series over Canes
By Dale Woodard on May 3, 2021.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com
It came down Game 3 of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers weekend series, but the Tigers clawed out the decision.
Tigers forward Ryan Chyzowski scored the hat trick as the Tigers got past the Hurricanes 6-2 in Western Hockey League play Sunday night at the Enmax Centre.
Chyzowski scored once in the second and twice more in the third – including an empty-netter – to earn Medicine Hat a 2-1 weekend series decision.
The Tigers won the first game of the weekend 6-2 Thursday night at the Enmax Centre, but the Canes evened the series with a 6-3 decision Saturday night in Medicine Hat.
On Sunday night, the Tigers broke open a 1-1 tie after the first with three second period goals and a 4-1 lead that wasn’t threatened the rest of the way.
Eric Van Impe, Oren Shtrom and Noah Danielson also scored for Medicine Hat.
Ty Nash and Jett Jones replied for Lethbridge, who are now 9-12-2-0 with the loss and wrap up their abbreviated 24-game WHL season Tuesday in Edmonton against the Central Division champion Oil Kings.
The Tigers improved to 14-7-0-1 with the win.
Van Impe got things going 13:25 into the first on a point shot that eluded Hurricanes goaltender Jared Picklyk, but the Hurricanes pulled even a little over three minutes later on Nash’s third of the season.
The Tigers padded their lead in the second and started on the power play on a goal from Shtrom for a 2-1 lead.
It was 3-1 Tigers 14:25 into the second when Danielson took a behind-the-net feed from Shtrom and one-timed shot past Picklyk to make it 3-1.
Chyzowski paced Medicine Hat to a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes with his ninth of the season.
He added another to start the third 2:07 in for a 5-1 lead, but Jones made it 5-2 at the 8:22 mark on a wraparound goal that was initially waved off before a video review showed the puck has crossed the line for his sixth of the season.
But with 2:23 to go, Chyzowski completed his hat trick bid to round out the scoring.
Shtrom and Danielson each had an assist for two points and Carlin Dezainde added two helpers.
The Tigers outshot the Hurricanes 40-39.
The Canes were 0-for-3 on the power play. The Tigers were 1-for-3.
Picklyk made 34 saves for the Hurricanes, while Garin Bjorklund stopped 37 of 39.
At the conclusion of the game, both teams lined up for fist taps with referee Jordan Lightbown to honour his eight-year WHL career.
Playing their final home game of the season, the Hurricanes briefly posed for a team photo before graduating overages Dino Kambeitz, Liam Kindree and Mitch Drowse took a solo bow, recognized for playing their final home game.
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