Tigers ready for last pre-season game Saturday
By Ryan McCracken on September 15, 2018.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken The Medicine Hat Tigers will look to make a few final tune-ups when they close out the pre-season Saturday night in Red Deer against the Rebels. Tigers alternate captain Ryan Jevne says he’s been pleased with the improvement his team has shown through their 2-1-1-0 start to the pre-season —particularly the newer recruits. “I think we’re pretty optimistic. We had a couple not-so-great games at the start of pre-season and now we’re kind of turning the page,” said Jevne, who logged an assist in last Friday’s 5-2 exhibition loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors, and says he expects to dress Saturday. Our last one was pretty good so with one more we want to make sure we dial everything in and that we’re ready for the regular season.” The Tigers are still waiting to see if a handful of key players will return to the WHL from NHL training camps, which leaves room for a number of young hopefuls to step up and grab an opening day spot this weekend. Defencemen Linus Nassen and Dylan MacPherson —both of whom are entering their overage season — are competing together with the Panthers in Florida, 18-year-old Ryan Chyzowski is skating as a free agent with the Vegas Golden Knights, 19-year-old goaltender Jordan Hollett is with the Ottawa Senators and impending overagers Mason Shaw (Minnesota Wild) and David Quenneville (New York Islanders) are both expected to start their season in the American Hockey League. Dawson Heathcote and Josh Williams lead the Tigers with two goals and two assists apiece over their three games in the pre-season, while fellow sophomore Baxter Anderson has a goal and two assists in as many contests. Winger Chris Douglas leads Red Deer (1-0-2-0) with a goal and two assists in two games played, while teammate Alex Morozoff has three points in three contests. Medicine Hat will have the better part of a week to confirm their final roster for Friday’s season opener against the Hurricanes in Lethbridge. 10
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