NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman and local product Josh Van Mulligen lines up for a faceoff in an 8-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on March 22 at Co-op Place.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Josh Van Mulligen was just about to turn two years old when the Medicine Hat Tigers won their last Western Hockey League championship in 2006-07. Now the hometown product is looking at his first shot at postseason success.
The 17-year-old defenceman in his first full season as a Tiger, is suiting up for his first WHL playoff game tonight in Winnipeg against the Ice, something not lost on Van Mulligen.
“There’s a lot of guys back from last year’s team and it was obviously a tough year for the team last year,” Van Mulligen said. “So to come back this year and have a bounce-back year is pretty cool.”
He played all 68 games available in his rookie season, notching a goal and nine points. His parents were in the stands when the Tigers clinched a playoff spot with a 4-3 win over the Swift Current Broncos at Co-op Place on March 25.
“It was a special moment, a cool atmosphere,” Van Mulligen said. “It was just really fun to be part of that and experience that with my mom and dad in the stands and the rest of my family there. So it was good, they get to come to every game.”
He says they have already picked up their playoff tickets and are ready to cheer him on come Game 3 on Tuesday at Co-op Place. Van Mulligen, like the rest of his team, is focused on the first two road games of the series but was all smiles talking about playing in front of a hometown crowd in a playoff game.
“Obviously every playoff game is a big one,” Van Mulligen said. “But to get to play playoffs in your hometown and in front of a home crowd. It’s a pretty cool feeling and I’m really looking forward to it.”
