PHOTO COURTESY WHL
The Medicine Hat Tigers captured the WHL's Northern Lights Cup with a 5-2 win Saturday over the Kelowna Rockets, winning the Yukon Showcase.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers wrapped their preseason in winning fashion.
The Tigers beat the Kelowna Rockets 5-2 on Saturday to win the WHL’s Yukon Showcase and capture the Northern Lights Cup as winners of the two-game set held in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Medicine Hat beat the Rockets 8-4 on Friday. The wins also sweep the Tigers’ preseason slate after a pair of victories over the Lethbridge Hurricanes to open the exhibition schedule.
The Tigers had eight different goal scorers in Friday’s win. Liam Ruck and Noah Davidson each had a goal and an assist, Markus Ruck, Zack Nieckar and Carter Cunningham all had a goal and an assist. Dub Eunice III, Gavin Kor and Yaroslav Bryzgalov each scored solo markers.
Carter Casey started the game for the Tigers, his first preseason appearance, making 27 saves.
In Saturday’s win, Davidson played alongside the Rucks and the trio found instant chemistry. Davidson scored twice, Liam had a goal and two assists Markus added a helper.
Misha Volotovskii and Kor each scored in the win. Cruz Chase, making his preseason debut in net, made 38 saves.
The Tigers are off until Saturday when they host the Regina Pats at Co-op Place for the first game of their 56th season. Single-game tickets became available on Tixx.ca, or at the Box Office starting Monday.
At the NHL level, defenceman Bryce Pickford was reassigned by the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. The 19-year-old suffered a lower-body injury on Sept. 11 and did not practise the next day. He also did not play in any of the Canadiens’ prospect showcase games.
The Tigers still have five players at NHL camps as of press time Monday. Defencemen Veeti Vaisanen (Utah), Niilopekka Muhonen (Dallas), Jonas Woo (Carolina), forward Kadon McCann (Calgary) and goaltender Jordan Switzer (Calgary).
Orca Wiesblatt dies
Former Calgary Hitmen Orca Wiesblatt died Sunday in a single-vehicle crash.
Orca, an older brother of Tigers’ alumni Oasiz Wiesblatt, played 138 games as a member of the Hitmen from 2017 through 2021.
The Hitmen issued a statement Monday saying, “We are heartbroken for his family, friends and everyone that knew and loved him.”
The 25-year-old previously played for the Brooks Bandits, winning both an AJHL title and a Western Canada Cup Championship. He was signed to play for the Allen Americans of the ECHL this season.
“We are all heartbroken,” Americans head coach and general manager Steve Martinson wrote in a statement. “Orca was really looking forward to this next step in his hockey career. He wasn’t just skilled, he was a momentum-changing hitter. I can still see his grin when he would return to the bench after one of his big hits. That is what we will miss the most, his infectious smile.”
Along with Oasiz, Orca’s brother Ozzy plays in the Nashville Predators’ organiztion. The eldest Wiesblatt, Ocean, also played in the AJHL.
