Tigers top T-Birds, 5-3 | WHL

For the Reporter

The Seattle Thunderbirds dropped their second game in three nights Saturday, losing 5-3 at home to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

This was the only matchup between the two teams this season. The Tigers are now 21-6-1-1 on the season, first in the Central Division. Seattle falls to 12-13-2-2.

Danny Mumaugh made his fifth start and sixth appearance of the season for the T-Birds. Mumaugh stopped 32 of 37 but took the loss, making his record 1-4-0-0. In goal for Medicine Hat was Nick Schneider, who made 40 saves on 43 shots. Schneider’s record moves to 6-2-0-0.

Mark Rassell scored for the Tigers to give the visitors a 1-0 lead at 7:41 of the opening period. The rookie worked into the slot with the puck and let loose with an off-balance wrist shot that flew past Mumaugh. Matt Staples and Zach Fischer assisted on the goal.

Evan Wardley tied the game with a power-play goal at 15:16. Wardley set up in front of the net after Scott Eansor won the faceoff. Shea Theodore took a point shot that made it through traffic and was fought off by Schneider. Wardley was there for the rebound and flipped it over Schneider’s outstretched leg to make it 1-1. Theodore and Ethan Bear had the assists on the goal. It was Wardley’s first goal of the season and his third point in five games playing as a forward.

Medicine Hat took back their lead on the power play not much later. Steven Owre cut to the net and received a pass from behind the net from Trevor Cox. Owre was quick on the trigger and beat Mumaugh for his 10th goal of the season. Cox and Ty Stanton had the assists on the goal at 17:32.

Fischer added a third goal for the Tigers at 19:13. Staples, who had the only assist, stole an attempted outlet by the T-Birds and got the puck to Fischer. Fischer was behind the defense and had time to stickhandle before flipping a backhand shot in for the goal.

Both teams managed 16 shots in the first period, though Medicine Hat led 14-8 in faceoffs.

Seattle’s second power play of the game at 8:20 of the second period gave the T-Birds a chance to jumpstart their offense. A second penalty on Medicine Hat gave the home team 1:20 of five-on-three time. The T-Birds controlled the puck throughout, managing six shots on goal before the expiration. Theodore sent a rocket from the slot off the post as the first Tiger left the penalty box and Schneider was eventually able to cover after a mad scramble for the rebound.

Anthony Ast scored an unassisted goal for the Tigers at 19:40. A collision in front of the net left the puck on the end boards as Mumaugh scrambled back into position. Pressure from a Tiger attacker forced the giveaway behind the net as the puck ended up on Ast’s stick. Ast managed a wraparound shot that sneaked into the goal as Mumaugh tried to kick it away to make it 4-1.

Shots in the second period were 14-11 Seattle and faceoffs were 15-11 Medicine Hat.

Keegan Kolesar cut the deficit to 4-2 with a power-play at 4:18. Justin Hickman worked a pass along the end boards to Gropp, who was waiting below the goal. Gropp found Kolesar untouched at the side of the net, where Kolesar was able to rip a one-timer into the net for his eighth goal of the year.

Kolesar scored his second goal of the night on a breakaway after an extended scrum along the boards in the defensive zone. Kolesar was able to collect the puck out of several bodies, working past the defenseman in the process. The 17-year-old cut to the right and sent a shot through Schneider’s legs to make it 4-3 at 11:10.

The Tigers scored a fifth goal with 2:59 left in the game to regain their two-goal lead. A point shot from David Quenneville bounced around in traffic and beat Mumaugh, who was unable to get a good read on the puck through bodies. Ty Schultz and Labelle had the assists on the goal.

Shots in the final frame favored Seattle 13-10. Faceoffs were 12-11 Medicine Hat.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Medicine Hat, Rassell 3 (Staples, Fischer), 7:41. 2, Seattle, Wardley 1 (Theodore, Bear), 15:16 (pp). 3, Medicine Hat, Owre 10 (Cox, Stanton), 17:32 (pp). 4, Medicine Hat, Fischer 2 (Staples), 19:13. Penalties – Lewington, Medicine Hat (major-fighting), 11:55. Hauf, Seattle (major-fighting), 11:55. Vannelli, Medicine Hat (cross-checking), 13:46. Bench-served by Pederson, Seattle (too many men on the ice), 16:33.

Second period – 5, Medicine Hat, Ast 2 (unassisted), 19:40. Penalties – Owre, Medicine Hat (holding), 8:20. Stanton, Medicine Hat (boarding), 9:01. Hauf, Seattle (interference), 11:19.

Third period – 6, Seattle, Kolesar 8 (Gropp, Hickman), 4:18 (pp). 7, Seattle, Kolesar 9 (unassisted), 11:10. 8, Medicine Hat, Quenneville 5 (Schultz, Labelle), 17:01. Penalties – Labelle, Medicine Hat (holding), 4:05.

Shots on goal – Seattle 16-14-13 43, Medicine Hat 16-11-10 37. Goalies – Seattle, Mumaugh 37 shots-32 saves (1-4-0-0); Medicine Hat, Schneider 43-40 (6-2-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Medicine Hat 1-2. A – 3,133. Referees – Kevin Bennett, Reagan Vetter. Linesmen – Adam Brastad, Nathan Van Oosten.