Cranbrook, BC – Medicine Hat defenseman Mark Isherwood had 1 goal and 3 assists in a 4-2 win over the Kootenay ICE in WHL action on Saturday night.
The only goal in the first period came in the final minute as the Tigers Zdenek Okal threw a cross ice pass near the ICE crease and Linden Vey poked it in.
Tigers made it 2-0 on a 2-man advantage as Emerson Etem scored his 1st career goal as he was open near the crease and redirected a pass from Tristan King.
ICE replied as Max Reinhart fired a long slap shot that beat the goal on the stick side.
Etem scored his 2nd of the period on a goal mouth scramble.
In the 3rd period ICE Captain Dustin Sylvester punched in a rebound for his 1st goal of the season.
Isherwood added an empty netter.
This was the 1st of 6 meetings between the clubs this season.
Last year the ICE won the season series 6-0.
Over the last 2 seasons, including the playoffs, the ICE had won 12 of the last 13 meetings.
The last regular season win by Medicine Hat in Cranbrook was January 11, 2008.
The ICE have 2 forwards on the injured list. Drew Czerwonka is out 4 weeks with a laceration on his leg. Christian Magnus has a broken finger and is out 4-6 weeks.
Tigers’ Head Coach Willy Desjardins has 300 career wins. He is the Franchise Record holder for most wins. Desjardins will be the Head Coach for Team Canada at this years’ World Junior Hockey Championships being held in Saskatoon and Regina.
The ICE will host Calgary on Friday and then will have a 6-game road trip. The Tigers will host Edmonton Wednesday.
Game Summary
Medicine Hat 2-0-0-1 Kootenay 2-2-0-0
1st Period
1. Medicine Hat Vey 1 (Okal, Isherwood) 19:07
Penalties – None.
2nd Period
2. Medicine Hat, Etem 1 (King, Isherwood) 2:10 5-on-3 pp
3. Kootenay, Reinhart 3 3:49
4. Medicine Hat, Etem 2 (Isherwood, Cameron) 10:19
Penalties – McNabb Ktn (roughing) :49, Sylvester Ktn (tripping) 1:14, Isherwood MH Fraser Ktn (roughing) 3:37, Pacovsky (tripping) 12:09, Konan MH Fraser Ktn (fighting) 18:38.
3rd Period
5. Kootenay, Sylvester 1 (McNabb, Fraser) 5:58
6. Medicine Hat, Isherwood 18:59 en
Penalties – Isherwood MH (interference) :28, Carlson MH (delay of game) :44, McNabb Ktn (closing hand on the puck) 6:41, Antilla Ktn (tripping) 8:07.
Shots on goal by
Medicine Hat – 13 – 12 – 10 = 35
Kootenay - 5 – 11 – 10 = 26
Goal (shots-saves) – Medicine Hat: Tyler Bunz (W 1-0-0-0) Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (L 2-1-0-0)
Power plays (goals-chances) – Medicine Hat: 1/5 Kootenay: 0/2
Referee – Andy Theissen
Linesmen – Jim Maniago, Scott Pryor
Attendance – 2,668