LETHBRIDGE, Alberta (Interstat) — The Medicine Hat Tigers opened their Western Hockey League season Friday night with a 5-2 road victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes at VisitLethbridge.com Arena. The announced attendance was 4,120. Medicine Hat moved to 1-0, while Lethbridge dropped to 0-1. The Tigers scored twice in the second period and three times in the third after a first period in which neither team found the net.

Josh Evaschesen, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound left wing from Medicine Hat, scored twice and recorded four shots on goal with two penalty minutes. Kadon McCann, a 6-foot-3, 208-pound center from Cochrane, Canada, was named Medicine Hat’s top star after finishing with one goal, one assist and six shots. Arvid Drott, a 6-foot-1, 192-pound right wing from Stockholm, added two assists and two shots. Tyson Moss, a 6-foot, 170-pound defenseman from Port Moody, Canada, scored once. Mace’o Phillips, a 6-foot-6, 237-pound defenseman from Wayzata, Minn., contributed one assist, two shots and two penalty minutes. Cam Parr, a 5-foot-9, 187-pound left wing from La Salle, Canada, scored once and had one shot with two penalty minutes. Jake Burmis, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound right wing from Rogers, Minn., added one assist and one shot.

Lethbridge was led by Dayne Beuker, a 5-foot-11, 172-pound center from Humboldt, Canada, who had one goal and one assist with two shots. Owen Berge, a 6-foot, 187-pound left wing from Edmonton, Canada, also recorded one goal and one assist with four shots. Logan Stuart, a 6-foot, 180-pound center from Manhatten Beach, Calif., added one assist, six shots and four penalty minutes. Nathan Maloney chipped in an assist, while Kai Anderson received a tripping minor.

The first period featured penalties but no goals. Logan Stuart of Lethbridge received an interference on the goaltender minor at 2:03. Medicine Hat’s Josh Evaschesen was called for boarding at 10:59. The Tigers broke through in the second period. Evaschesen opened the scoring at 12:35 from Jake Burmis and Arvid Drott. Tyson Moss made it 2-0 at 19:00, assisted by Kadon McCann. Lethbridge’s Logan Stuart was assessed a cross-checking penalty at the end of the period.

Medicine Hat extended its lead 20 seconds into the third when Evaschesen scored his second goal, with assists from Koray Bozkaya and Reily Pickford. Lethbridge answered at 2:41 when Dayne Beuker scored from Owen Berge and Logan Stuart. Cam Parr restored the Tigers’ three-goal cushion at 11:27 from Gavin Kor. Berge scored for Lethbridge at 13:43, with Beuker and Nathan Maloney assisting. McCann closed the scoring at 18:44 from Mace’o Phillips and Drott. The Tigers also received penalties in the third to Parr for roughing and Luke Cozens for tripping, while Lethbridge’s Anderson was called for tripping.

Medicine Hat’s penalty kill faced a busy night. The Tigers were whistled for five minor penalties, including second-period calls against Pasler and Phillips. Lethbridge received three minors, two to Stuart, and Anderson added another in the third. The Hurricanes’ best push came early in the third when Beuker scored, but Medicine Hat answered later with Parr and McCann.

With the win, Medicine Hat started the season 1-0. Lethbridge fell to 0-1. The teams are scheduled to meet again Saturday at Medicine Hat. Medicine Hat’s following games include trips to Red Deer and Edmonton, while Lethbridge will host Red Deer next Friday. Lethbridge’s next home game is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25, against Red Deer. Medicine Hat’s next road trip begins Saturday, Sept. 26, at Red Deer.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 6-0 Medicine Hat victory. The ELO system gave the Tigers an 84.4 percent probability of winning before the game.