PHOTO COURTESY Keith Hershmiller Photography/Regina Pats
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cam Parr battles at the net front during Game 3 Tuesday in Regina, an 8-2 win for the Tigers to lead the best-of-seven first-round series 2-1.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers have had many a player step up this season en route to 50 regular season wins.
Defenceman Bryce Pickford and Jonas Woo broke franchise records, Markus and Liam Ruck were first and second in CHL scoring and multiple rookies rose to the occasion. Adding Cam Parr into the mix in September, and for Game 3 Tuesday, brought a difference head coach Willie Desjardins says was felt through the lineup.
“He’s a real leader for us, people don’t realize how valuable he is for us,” Desjardins said. “It was huge to get him back.”
Parr missed Games 1 and 2 of the first-round series with the Regina Pats with an injury, watching as the Tigers split the opening weekend at Co-op Place. He liked their response Tuesday, an 8-2 Game 3 win, and he recognized the rise in Tigers physicality.
“They came out flying that first period there and we did a good job of kind of weathering the storm a little bit, but we executed better (Tuesday),” Parr said. “We saw more intensity in everybody, so that paid off.”
“Watching the first two games, I could tell they were playing really hard and they were trying to get under our skin a little bit. They were finishing all their checks. So I knew when I came back I had to give it back to them a little bit and bully them more than they try to bully us.”
Parr didn’t factor into the stat sheet, registering a couple of shots, but was flying up and down the ice with physical play in his Tigers playoff debut.
“It sucks watching but you have to do what you have to do, I was just ready to come back and make a difference,” Parr said. “You work all year for playoffs, it’s what you circle on your calendar. So it was awesome when I was able to get back in.”
Parr, who started both Games 3 and 4, says his style of play is made for this time of the year.
“My game steps up in the playoffs, just the way I play and the way playoffs go well together,” Parr said. “So just sticking to my game, not trying to do anything crazy and just hoping for the best.”
The 19-year-old La Salle, Man. product was acquired after the season-opening weekend from the Spokane Chiefs for a 2027 eighth-round pick. He joined the Tigers with 24 games of playoff experience, a majority coming in the Chiefs’ run to the WHL Finals last year against the Tigers.
He’s more than delivered on the deal, Desjardins says, surprised by the difference Parr has made for the Tigers.
“I didn’t know he’d have this impact on our team,” Desjardins said. “I knew he played hard which was great. But it’s not just how hard he plays, he’s a very good leader for us. He’s an energy guy, he does a great job on the penalty kill. So him coming back in our lineup was probably the biggest difference.”
Watching the first two home playoff games from the stands, Parr enjoyed the atmosphere after being on the other side of the faithful last season. He hopes they can bring a 3-1 lead back for Game 5 Saturday, and is looking forward to getting to experience the Co-op Place atmosphere where he belongs, in the mix of a playoff battle.
“I can’t wait to play there, it’s going to be unbelievable,” Parr said. “When I was watching there the first two games, it was absolutely crazy. So I can’t wait to get back in there.”
