Photo source: Medicine Hat Tigers' Facebook Page
After a fierce battle between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers down at the Visit Lethbridge.com Arena, the Tigers faced the storm to emerge as the WHL Eastern Conference Champions.
The opening minutes saw the Hurricanes fire the first shot with Logan Wormald achieving the first goal of the night, erupting local supporters.
This lead was short-lived lived however, as during a Hurricanes Power Play, after Tigers Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt was sent to the penalty box for high-sticking, Mathew Ward achieved his second short-handed goal of the series, tying up the game 1-1.
Later, during a power-play for the visiting Tigers, they were able to take the lead as Bryce Pickford gave the final goal of the first period, with the Tigers going into the second period with a 2-1 lead.
Second period continued the Tigers’ dominance as they achieved another pair of goals with Ward getting a power-play game-winning goal and his second of the night, ending the period with a 4-1 lead.
The Third and final period the Hurricanes took the Tigers into the eye of their storm, as in the opening minute, Kash Andersen’s one timer goal gave was able to rally his team leading to an intersection from Caden Price with a long-range shot had it tipped in by Anthony Wilson making the game 4-3.
With the final minutes of the game being do or die for the Cannes to force the game into overtime, saw Jackson Unger pulled from the net but, in the final minute and a half of the third period Gavin McKenna’s quick skating saw him get the final goal of the night on a empty net ending the night 5-3 for the Tigers.
The empty net goal marked Gavin McKenna’s 52nd goal, making his record streak continue to add up.
The night marked the Tigers’ tenth straight win in the WHL playoffs and eighth win over the Hurricanes.
Last night’s three stars were awarded to Logan McCutcheon, Brayden Edwards, and Noah Chadwick of the Hurricanes, who are graduating out of the WHL as they will be over the age limit.
The Tigers will be taking on the Western Conference Champions for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
Currently, the league’s top team, the Spokane Chiefs, who are 3-0 over the Portland Winterhawks, with their potential final game of their series taking place tonight at eight, are the most likely to advance to the Ed Chynoweth Cup finals.
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