GAME DAY PREVIEW JANUARY 29 @ REGINA
LAST GAME 3-2 OTL @ Moose Jaw Warriors: The Tigers and Warriors concluded their season series with another extra point being handed out Saturday night at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. Oasiz Wiesblatt opened the scoring and Owen MacNeil notched his 7th of the season to make 2-1 Tigers in the third but Martin Rysavy would score the equalizer and Jagger Firkus would cash in on a power play in overtime 40 seconds in to give the Warriors the win. Medicine Hat finishes the season series with Moose Jaw with a 2-0-1-1 record.
VS REGINA: It’s the first of four meetings between the Tigers and Pats, Regina is the only team Medicine Hat has yet to face this season. In the 2021-22 WHL Season, Medicine Hat was 1-3 in the season series, with Brenden Lee leading the way in the points department with 3 goals and an assist, while defenceman Dru Krebs had 3 assists against the Pats.
The Pats Connor Bedard had 5 goals and 3 assists on the opposing side for the Tigers and Tanner Howe chipped in with a goal and four assists in all four games played.
Head to Head since the 1996-97 WHL Season, the Tigers are 51-41-4-5 with three ties, while on the road in Regina, Medicine Hat is 23-22-2-4 with two ties. In overtime, the Tigers are 2-4 and 2-6 in the shootout against the Pats.
HEAD TO HEAD
2021-2022 2022-23
Nov 23 @ MH (5-4 SOW) Jan 29 @ REG
Dec 8 @ REG (4-2 L) Feb 5 @ MH
Feb 23 @ REG (4-2 L) Feb 22 @ REG
Mar 15 @ MH (6-2 L) Mar 11 @ MH
TALE OF THE TAPE
MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (18-21-7-1) 44pts
5TH in Central Division
9TH in Eastern Conference
PP – Overall 40/206 – 19.4% – Away 21/105 – 20.0%
Vs REG – @ REG-
PK – Overall 149/200 -74.5% – Away 80/111 -72.1%
Vs REG – @ REG –
REGINA PATS (22-20-1-1) 46pts
4TH in East Division
8TH in Eastern Conference
PP – Overall 46/170 – 27.1% – Home 21/82 – 25.6%
Vs MH – @ MH –
PK -Overall 126/156 -78.8% – Home 62/79 – 78.5%
Vs MH – @MH –
2022-23 REGULAR SEASON STAT LEADERS
Goals – Lee (20) Assists – Basha (29)
Points – Basha (39) +/- Basha (+13)
PIMS – Wiesblatt (62) Wins – Langkow (16)
Shutouts – N/A Save % – Langkow & May .884%
GAA – Langkow (3.27)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
– Andrew Basha 46 GP: 10-29-39 PTS – Oasiz Wiesblatt 47 GP: 17-21-38 PTS
– Brayden Boehm 47 GP: 17-15-32 PTS – Dru Krebs 46 GP: 5-24-29 PTS
– Cayden Lindstrom 40 GP: 13-14-27 PTS (06 Born) – Dallon Melin 46 GP: 12-18-30 PTS
– Shane Smith 47 GP: 16-7-21 PTS
MILESTONE WATCH
– Dru Krebs: 10 GP away from 200 GP – Andrew Basha: 6 GP away from 100 Career GP
– Owen MacNeil: 23 GP away from 200 Career GP – Bogdans Hodass: 8 GP from 100 Career GP
– Rhett Parsons: 20 GP from 150 Career GP – Oasiz Wiesblatt: 16 GP from 150 Career GP
NEWS & NOTES
Latvian Leap: Second year defenceman Bogdans Hodass represented Team Lativa at the completed 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the second straight year. Hodass had 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists. As he returns to the Tigers line-up in 27 GP, Hodass has 7 goals & 13 assists for 20 points.)
Defenders Attacking: The Tigers defence core of Kurtis Smythe, Rhett Parsons, Bogdans Hodass, Dru Krebs, Pasha Bocharov, Josh Van Mulligen & Reid Andresen have contributed to 122 points (30 goals, 92 assists)
The Chetwynd Kid: Tigers Centre Cayden Lindstrom is 8th in WHL Rookie scoring with 25 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 40 games played.
From Cessford with Love: Tigers Rookie Forward Shane Smith is 3rd in Rookie goal scoring with 16.
Man Down, No Problem: Going into tonight’s game against Swift Current, the Tigers are 6th in shorthanded goals for in the WHL with 8, (Smith x2, St. Martin, Bocharov, Boehm x2, MacNeil, Lee)
Mr. 400: Tigers Head Coach & Willie Desjardins notched his 400th win as a Head Coach with the Medicine Hat Tigers December 10th in a 6-3 win at home against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Desjardins record in his 13 seasons coaching in the WHL. Desjardins first win as Tigers Head Coach was a 4-3 win on September 24, 2002 against the Saskatoon Blades.
Silver Lining: Tigers forward Tomas Mrsic returns to the Tigers after taking home a silver medal at the World U17s in Langley, BC. Mrsic had one goal and one assists for Team Canada Red. Cayden Lindstrom also participated in the U17s as a member of Team White scoring two goals and two assists in the tournament.
MacNeil’s Navy: The Tigers announced their leadership group for the 2022-23 WHL Season, Owen MacNeil was named the 39th Captain in Tigers history, while Rhett Parsons, Dru Krebs, Tyler MacKenzie & Dallon Melin will all wear alternate captain’s A’s on their jerseys this season.
HOW THE TIGERS WERE BUILT
WHL Draft (11): Andresen, Parsons, Wiesblatt, MacKenzie, Krebs, St. Martin, Boehm, Van Mulligen, Mrsic, Lindstrom, Basha,
Trade (5): Bocharov, Lee, MacNeil, Smythe & May
CHL Import Draft (1): Hodass
Listed/Signed (2): Langkow, Hanas
Waivers (1): Melin
ROSTER AGE BREAKDOWN (* indicates rookie):
Alberta – 12 – Parsons, Wiesblatt, MacKenzie, Krebs, Langkow, St. Martin *, Smith *, Melin, Van Mulligen *, MacNeil, Basha,
BC – 5 – Smythe, Lindstrom *, Mrsic *, Boehm & May
Saskatchewan– 1 – Andresen
Yukon-1–McKenna*
USA – 3 – Lee, Hanas & Bocharov Latvia – 1 – Hodass
PREVIOUS THREE GAMES NEXT THREE GAMES (all times MT/SD
Sat Jan 21 Vs Calgary Hitmen (7-1 W) Sun Jan 29 @ Regina Pats (3pm)
Sun Jan 22 Vs Swift Current Broncos (4-3 OTL) Sat Feb 4 Vs Lethbridge Hurricanes (7pm)
Sat Jan 28 @ Moose Jaw Warriors (3-2 OTL) Sun Feb 5 Vs Regina Pats (4pm)
