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Tigers grind one out

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NEWS PHOTO IAN SORENSEN
Kale Kessy of Medicine Hat and Dalton Reum of Swift Current battle for the puck behind the Swift Current net during Saturday's game at The Arena.

DARREN STEINKE
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The Medicine Hat Tigers are hoping their latest roll has arrived.
On Saturday, the local WHL squad won its fourth straight game squeaking out a 2-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos before a sellout crowd of 4,006 spectators at The Arena.
So far this season, the Tigers have experienced ups and downs in posting a 28-16-2-2 record to sit in a tie with the Kootenay Ice for third overall in the WHL's Eastern Conference with 60 points. The Ice have two games in hand.
Over their past four games, the Tabbies found a consistency at both ends of the rink outscoring their opponents 16-7.
"When you are in the middle of it, it feels good," said Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston. "The biggest thing is you don't get there unless you prepare to play hard every night.
"We will regroup and take (Sunday) off and get back to work and keep going in practice."
At first, it appeared Saturday's game might turn into a shootout. The Broncos drew first blood as right-winger Christian Magnus scored at the 12:05 mark of the opening frame. After that tally, the visitors ran into penalty troubles, and the Tigers went ahead 2-1 scoring twice with the man advantage.
Just 65 seconds after Magnus's goal, Tigers left-winger Hunter Shinkaruk slipped a nifty pass to linemate Emerson Etem. The Long Beach, Calif., product buried his 41st goal of the season.
"I just kind of walked off the wall," said Shinkaruk. "Emer did a great job of being open for me.
"I was lucky enough to find him. It was a good goal to get our team going."
Shortly after Etem's goal, the Tigers found themselves working on a two-man advantage. On that chance, centre Jayden Hart collected the rebound from a Shinkaruk shot to put the hosts in front by one.
From there, the goaltenders on both sides took over. John Groenheyde was stellar in the Swift Current net turning away 36 shots to allow his team to attempt a comeback. Tyler Bunz slammed the door shut in the Tigers goal making 35 saves to ensure the hosts picked up the win.
The Broncos fell to 18-24-2-3 with the loss to sit 10th overall in the Eastern Conference and remain eight points back of the 23-22-1-2 Brandon Wheat Kings, who sit eighth overall and in the conference's final playoff berth.
The Wheat Kings dropped a 7-3 decision at home to the Ice on Saturday.
"It is obviously a tough loss, when you play hard like that," said Groenheyde. "It is also a tough pill to swallow, when going into the third period we had known that Brandon had lost tonight.
"That is kind of who we are chasing to get into playoffs here. It always tough, when you lose games 2-1."
The Tigers had some big chances to get the insurance goal in the second. Left-winger Brendan Hurley saw a dangerous backhand shot off a rush get turned away by Groenheyde.
Shinkaruk had the best chance to score for the hosts late in the period on a wraparound, but he was turned away by Groenheyde's right pad. While Groenheyde kept coming up big, Shinkaruk said his side never got discouraged.
"We just have to take it with a grain of salt I guess every time he really makes a nice save on you," said Shinkaruk. "Obviously, he is a great goalie.
"It took the amount of shots we got on him tonight to get two in. We are pretty happy with the result."
The Broncos thought they had tied the game around the midway point in the third period, when they had a goal waved off as the officials ruled the puck was knocked in with a high stick. That ruling came after a video review.
The last gasp was turned away in the final 30 seconds, when Tigers centre Dylan Bredo made a diving poke check on Broncos defenceman Richard Nedomlel at the point. Bredo's check ensured the puck was knocked out of the Tigers zone, and the visitors were not able to regroup for another chance.
While Saturday's result didn't go his team's way, Groenheyde believes his squad will make a run to make the post-season over its final 25 games.
"That is what we are pushing for, and that is what I am playing for every single night," said Groenheyde. "There is a lot of hockey left."

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