TIGERS FALL 5-2 IN GAME 2 OF EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL
Winnipeg, MB – The Medicine Hat Tigers despite trailing by two one goal deficits couldn’t complete the comeback as the Winnipeg ICE took Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Final 5-2 Saturday Night.
The first period saw the Tigers go toe to toe with the top team in the Western Hockey League coming into the WHL Playoffs, both teams exchanged power play opportunities but ICE goaltender Daniel Hauser & Tigers starter Beckett Langkow (Vegreville, AB) stood tall in their respect 4×6 territories but the ICE would be able to take a 1-0 lead thanks to Briley Wood’s first of the playoffs at 12:44 from Connor Geekie & Vladislav Shilo. Winnipeg would outshoot the Tigers 8-7 in the first.
Off to the second frame where the ICE would strike quickly at 1:33 as Zach Ostaphchuk would tap home his 2nd of the series to add to the lead of 2-0 Winnipeg. But the Tigers would push back and on a eventual high penalty to Winnipeg the Tigers would counter as Andrew Basha (Calgary, AB) would get his third of the series at 6:20 from Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) & Rhett Parsons (Cremona, AB) to cut the lead to 2-1. It would stay tight till 12:09 of the second after a five minute major penalty to Tigers Defenceman Rhett Parsons would put the Orange & Black down a peg with an opportunity for Winnipeg and on that same penalty kill a tripping minor to Brenden Lee would prove to be fatal as Connor McClennon would one-time his first of the series giving the ICE a 3-1 lead heading to the final 20 minutes. Shots would be dead even at 18-18.
In the third period after plenty of push back from either side, the Tigers would make it a one goal game again thanks to a power play goal from Dallon Melin (Czar, AB) sitting at the right place at the right time to make it just a 3-2 lead for Winnipeg at 11:58, Tomas Mrsic (Surrey, BC) & Reid Andresen (Saskatoon, SK) would draw assists but the Tigers would never get closer to tying the game. On another power play of their own, Winnipeg would go up 4-2 on a 4 on 3 power play from McClennon for his 2nd of the game and series from Ostaphchuk & Matthew Savoie to pad the lead, and with the goalie pulled with 33 second left in regulation, Savoie would get his series leading 4th of the playoffs into the yawning cage insuring the victory for the ICE at the Wayne Fleming Arena.
The Tigers power play for the second straight night would go 1/4 on the man advantage while the penalty kill would go 3/5.
The series moves to Medicine Hat for Games 3 & 4 starting Tuesday night at Co-op Place, April 4th, 2023. You can get your tickets HERE.
