Hurricanes thumped by Tigers

By Lethbridge Herald on December 13, 2023.

Herald Photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Hurricanes Elias Knoester attempts a scoring chance before Reid Andresen of the Medicine Hat Tigers deflects it out of play during Western Hockey League action at the Enmax Centre on Wednesday night.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Medicine Hat Tigers handed the Lethbridge Hurricanes their second consecutive loss with a 6-2 win on Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre.

“We turned lots of pucks over and made it harder (than) it needed to be,” said Bill Peters, Hurricanes head coach.

“It seemed like we turned a lot over at the ‘O’ zone blueline.”

Tyson Zimmer snapped in his ninth of the year from Miguel Marques at 12:49 of the first period to give the Canes a 1-0 lead.

It was just under a minute to go in the opening frame that the Tigers got back on even terms when Vasyl Spilka deposited the puck into an empty net on a pass from Kadon McCann.

Trae Wilke restored the Canes lead with his sixth of the season from Marques and Logan McCutcheon at the 10:45 mark of the second period.

It was from there on  that the Tigers took over the game with five consecutive goals between the second and third period.

“They got some momentum off those turnovers and then they scored on  back-to-back shifts there,” said Peters.

“We (have) got to manage that momentum shift and do a better job. They got the momentum after their second goal and  then never let up.”

Cayden Lindstrom tied the game 2-2 from Tyler MacKenzie and Josh Van Mulligan 15:40 into the second period.

Andrea Basha notched his 15th goal of the season 39 seconds later to give the Tabbies a 3-2 lead.

Shane Smith notched the assist.

Smith doubled Medicine Hat’s lead with his 15th goal of the season from Gavin McKenna at 19:08 of the second.

Oasiz Wiesblatt backhanded it past Canes goalie Brady Smith to make the score 5-2 Tigers  at 9:10 of the third period from Van Mulligan.

Lindstrom scored his second of the night at 13:05 of the third to make the score 6-2.

Hunter St. Martin assisted on the goal.

Final shots were 33-17 in favour of the Tigers.

 The Hurricanes (15-13-2) host the Regina Pats (12-16-1-1) on Friday night.