Trevor Cox scored a hat-trick as the Medicine Hat Tigers defeated the Kootenay ICE 7-3 Wednesday at Western Financial Place in Cranbrook.
The first-place Tigers snapped Kootenay's five-game losing streak, despite the hosts receiving three-point efforts from both Sam Reinhart and Tim Bozon.
Medicine Hat jumped out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes on goals from defenseman Tommy Vannelli and forward Blake Penner, though it was the ICE who held an 11-8 shot advantage through the opening frame.
Cox scored his first goal of the evening 41 seconds into period two, and after a Chad Labelle marker at the 7:17 mark prompted a Kootenay goaltending change, Cox added a second goal off a turnover in the ICE zone with 30 seconds left in the period, giving the Tigers a 5-0 lead through 40 minutes.
Kootenay solved Medicine Hat goaltender Marek Langhamer just before the five-minute mark of the third period when on a power-play, Jaedon Descheneau put home his team-leading tenth goal of the season. The Tigers answered back less than a minute later through first-year forward Mason Shaw to extend their lead to 6-1.
ICE forward Tim Bozon and Sam Reinhart cut into the deficit with goals 3:01 apart in the second half of the third period, but Cox would round out the scoring seconds after Reinhart's goal, completing his hat-trick in the process.
Langhamer made 35 saves to record the victory in goal for Medicine Hat, while ICE goaltenders Wyatt Hoflin and Keelan Williams split duties Wednesday.
Reinhart's two assists vault him into a tie with Jarret Stoll for the franchise lead in career regular-season helpers. Both players have recorded 162 assists.
UP NEXT: the ICE play three games in as many days this weekend, beginning with a matchup against the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday night. Game time is 7:00 at Western Financial Place.