Both the Medicine Hat Tigers and Lethbridge Hurricanes are on tremendous rolls in Western Hockey League play.
The lethal Tigers have won four straight and 10 of their last 11 outings, outscoring their opponents 21-9 in the four consecutive victories and 50-26 over the 11-game stretch, while building up an impressive 40-16-1-0 overall record.
Medicine Hat, which sits second in the Eastern Conference and second overall behind Regina, has also scored a league-high 279 goals (tied with the Pats).
鈥淲e played here earlier and it was a fast game. If we鈥檙e not careful, it can be a high-scoring game. It is a lot [of goals],鈥� Lowry said of the 279 tallies by the Tigers, tonight鈥檚 opponent at 6 p.m. PT 鈥淲e want to make sure we play a smart game.
鈥淲e have to make sure we鈥檙e skating and controlling the pace and dictating placements of pucks. If we do that, we give ourselves a chance. They obviously have a good power play so we have to be intelligent there as well.鈥�
Which they were, back on Oct. 11, when the Royals recorded a 5-1 win in Medicine Hat.
鈥淲e were real good and we got an early lead in that one,鈥� recalled Lowry. 鈥淲e know what they鈥檙e capable of coming in. Our preparation and our detail have to be real sharp to give ourselves a chance to win.鈥�
Lethbridge, at 34-16-4-3 and third in the East behind Regina and Medicine Hat, is no different.
The Hurricanes have won 10 of their last 11 and had a nine-game winning streak snapped by Medicine Hat on Feb. 11 in a 5-0 loss. Lethbridge outscored its opposition 43-27 over those last 11 games, and over their last 17 games, the Hurricanes have lost just one time in regulation, once in overtime and once in a shootout loss
鈥淔or us, the best part about it is we play [today] and we have a day in between where we can rest and recharge,鈥� Lowry said of Friday鈥檚 game in Lethbridge. 鈥淭hey like to play a wide-open game. They create offence and they鈥檙e not afraid to get into the trading-chances game. Again, we have to make sure we manage the game real well.鈥�
What is on the Royals鈥� side is the fact the 31-22-4-0 club has fared well against the East.
鈥淔or whatever reason, we鈥檝e found ways to win games the last couple of years,鈥� said Lowry.
It might be a tougher go-around this year as Lowry鈥檚 troops will be without offensive talents Tyler Soy and Ryan Peckford, who are both injured. Jared Dmytriw is also out after being handed a three-game suspension for a hit-to-the-head in last Saturday鈥檚 game against Kamloops.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good opportunity for some of our young guys, playing against a couple of real good teams in the East here. It will be a good challenge for them,鈥� said Lowry, who will once again lean on goaltender Griffen Outhouse for strong starts.
Outhouse leads WHL netminders in games played with 52.
Asked if Outhouse ever gets tired, Lowry deadpanned: 鈥淗e better not.鈥�
LOOSE PUCKS: Blazers defenceman Ondrej Vala was handed a two-game suspension for his hit on Soy in last Saturday鈥檚 game.
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