Hitmen comeback falls short in Medicine Hat

Medicine Hat, AB – The Medicine Hat Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 second period lead and held on for a 6-4 victory the Calgary Hitmen Tuesday night at The Arena.

Brady Brassart had a pair of goals for the Hitmen who scored three times within a span of 3:01 early in the third period to cut a 5-1 deficit to 5-4.

However Calgary could get no closer dropping their second straight on the road to fall to 3-3 on the season.  Greg Chase and Kenton Helgesen also scored for the Hitmen who got out shot 46-30 including 32-9 through 40 minutes.

Six different Tigers scored for Medicine Hat; Miles Koules, Logan McVeigh, Curtis Valk, Jacob Doty, Trevor Cox and Blake Penner.  Hunter Shinkaruk added a pair of assists as Medicine Hat moves into top spot in the Western Hockey League Eastern Conference with a record of 5-1-1-0.

The Hitmen went 4-7 on the powerplay while the Tigers were 2-6.

Calgary wraps up their three game road trip Wednesday night in Swift Current against the Broncos in a rematch of last season’s first round playoff series that saw the Hitmen win in five games.

Next Hitmen home game is Saturday, October 12th against Calgary product and Winnipeg Jets first round pick Josh Morrissey and the Prince Albert Raiders.  Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome.

                                                Photo Credit:  Medicine Hat Tigers

Calgary Hitmen 4 at Medicine Hat Tigers 6
Tuesday, October 8, 2013 - Medicine Hat Arena

Calgary 0 1 3 - 4
Medicine Hat 1 3 2 - 6

1st Period
1, Medicine Hat, Koules 2 (Shinkaruk, Bredo), 6:41 (PP).
Penalties-Harmsworth Cal (interference), 6:27; Zgraggen Cal (delay of game), 10:03; Cox M.h (hooking), 11:31; Broadhead M.h (interference), 15:14; Rissling Cal (holding), 18:39.

2nd Period
2, Medicine Hat, McVeigh 2 (Cox, Sanford), 4:08.
3, Medicine Hat, Valk 3 (Shinkaruk, Vannelli), 10:30 (PP).
4, Medicine Hat, Doty 1 (Vannelli, Labelle), 12:34.
5, Calgary, Chase 7 (Thrower), 18:25 (PP).
Penalties-Penner Cal (high sticking, high sticking), 10:20; Staples M.h (checking from behind), 16:27; Shinkaruk M.h (elbowing), 16:58; Zgraggen Cal (slashing), 18:45; Shinkaruk M.h (high sticking), 20:00.

3rd Period
6, Medicine Hat, Cox 2 (McVeigh, Stanton), 0:36.
7, Calgary, Brassart 2 (Peterson, Thomas), 1:56 (PP).
8, Calgary, Helgesen 1 (Thomas, Brassart), 2:43 (PP).
9, Calgary, Brassart 3 (Rissling, Chase), 4:55 (PP).
10, Medicine Hat, Penner 2 (Eisenschmid, Owre), 8:38.
Penalties-Broadhead M.h (interference), 2:06; Sanford M.h (closing hand on puck), 4:42; Lang Cal (major-fighting), 6:04; Broadhead M.h (major-fighting), 6:04.

Shots on Goal
Calgary 3-6-21-30. Medicine Hat 12-20-14-46.
Power Play Opportunities
Calgary 4 / 7; Medicine Hat 2 / 6.
Goalies
Calgary, Driedger 2-3-0-0 (46 shots-40 saves). Medicine Hat, Langhamer 3-1-0-0 (30 shots-26 saves).
A-4,006
Referees-Tyler Adair (58), Colin Watt (72).
Linesmen-Darren Holeha (47), Greg Sarauer (68).