NEWS PHOTO James Tubb
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Riley Steen celebrates after scoring his first WHL goal in the first period of a 5-0 win Oct. 11 at Co-op Place over the Portland Winterhawks.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Riley Steen got a first-row seat to the Medicine Hat Tigers’ championship run last season. Working in practices and morning skates, soaking up the experience while being along for the ride to the final game of the Memorial Cup.
There’s no more along for the ride for the Ladysmith, B.C. product.
The 17-year-old blue liner has played in all 15 games for the Tigers this season, getting more looks as injuries have impacted the defence core, and his play has dictated the necessity.
Getting the looks isn’t anything new he says, getting into 17 games last year. The only difference is he’s no longer the prospect playing the first two periods before sitting the rest while the workhorses carry the load. He’s starting games and carrying his own.
“I’m gonna go out there, play my game,” Steen said. “I know my game and I’m just going to do everything to help the team win.”
He recorded his first WHL point and goal on the same shot, the first puck thrown on net in a 5-0 win over the Portland Winterhawks at Co-op Place on Oct. 11. It was also his first start in the WHL, an opportunity overlooked from the outside but one that means more standing on the blue line.
“It was a pretty special night, my first start in the Western League, standing on the blue line looking at the Canadian flag was pretty cool,” Steen said. “It adds confidence, confidence from coaches who trust you to start games. That helped me for sure getting that goal right at the start.”
He spent most of last season with the South Alberta Hockey Academy, with two goals and 13 points in 33 games at the U18 level. He also suited up in four CSSHL playoff games before joining the Tigers’ playoffs.
After watching the championship run last year, Steen went home for summer looking to put in the work to be part of the team’s next run for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. After an “alright training camp,” he found his game as a gritty defenceman in the preseason games in Alberta and the Yukon Showcase. He hasn’t looked back since.
“Just blocking shots and moving the puck, jumping up in the play and shutting down the top line,” Steen said. “I’ve gained confidence over all those games that I can play good minutes and shut down the top lines.”
Associate coach Joe Frazer has liked the step Steen took in the offseason and noticed how well he’s stepped into a full-time role.
“He’s a great skater, he’s smart, he’s got great gap, a really good stick, so defensively, he’s been really good for us,” Frazer said. “All of our young guys have had some injuries on the back end, and, you know, all those guys have stepped up and played well, but Riley’s been really good for us.”
The work he’s put in has also been noticed on the same blue line, impressing captain Bryce Pickford with how he’s stepped in when needed this year.
“I don’t think we would have won half the games we have without him. Riley stepped up when a lot of our big guys, Woozy and I went down. and he stepped up, played a lot of minutes,” Pickford said. “Having him in our lineup, he’s good defensively, he brings offence, he got rewarded with that big goal at home, so I’m happy for him. He’s doing well and he just needs to keep it up.”
The Tigers have missed overager Josh Van Mulligen since the start of the year, Niilopekka Muhonen has missed a handful of games, as has Pickford and Woo, calling for them to lean on players like Steen, Tyson Moss and Kyle Heger to not just fill out on the back end, but carry the game.
Woo and Van Mulligen were out for the entire B.C. division trip and Pickford missed a pair, putting Steen and Moss in a spot to rise according to the Tigers’ bench boss.
“Moss stepped up when guys went down, I thought he and Steen had played great for us, so that’s a big plus because when you’re on the road, you don’t get your matches,” Willie Desjardins said. “So they got to play against everybody and both guys played well.”
The two met just last season when Moss signed with the club in November from the BCHL, and Steen came back and forth from SAHA. Once he was with the WHL club for the playoffs, the two became good friends, a relationship that has only grown, despite competing for ice time on a crowded blue line.
“The competing part is kind of a back thought of mine, we’re teammates and we’re best friends, I love the guy,” Steen said. “We’ll do everything together.”
The feeling is mutual between the pair of B.C. blue liners.
“I haven’t even known him for a year and he’s one of my closest friends,” Moss said. “We were staying in touch over the summer, so it’s great to see us both playing now and we’re just both really happy for each other.”
Moss scored his first WHL goal on the B.C. trip, coming in his 35th WHL game. Few Tigers were happier to see that goal hit twine than his fellow blue liner.
“For him to be playing in his home province as well, I was with him for so long last year, then through the Memorial Cup and the playoffs, we bonded so much last year,” Steen said. “When he potted his first, it was super special to see.”
The Tigers are in Edmonton on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest. They’ll return to Co-op Place to host the Tri-City Americans on Sunday for a 4 p.m. game.
