Rubins riding nine-game point streak into tonight’s tilt against Ice

By Ryan McCracken on January 17, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

Kristians Rubins is riding the longest point streak of his Western Hockey League career.

The 20-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman added a new element to his game after fellow blueliner Linus Nassen was sidelined with a fractured wrist earlier this month, and it’s been paying off in the form of consistent offensive output.

“I think I’ve just been joining the rush more,” says Rubins, who will look to extend his point streak to 10 games when the Kootenay Ice enter the Canalta Centre tonight at 7 p.m. “I’m trying to take charge more and the points have kind of been coming to me but I’m not really thinking about it to be honest. I’m just playing my game.”

Rubins has compiled eight assists and two goals in his nine-game streak —including the overtime winner in Medicine Hat’s 5-4 victory over the Kootenay Ice on Jan. 1, the same game in which Nassen suffered his wrist fracture.

Nassen’s absence bumped Rubins — traditionally a shutdown defenceman — into a pairing with offensively minded David Quenneville. While they didn’t play together at all last season, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Latvian says he’s been meshing very well with Quenneville in the seven games since Nassen’s injury.

“Once Nassen got out me and Dave have been playing way more and he’s a good guy. I absolutely love playing with him,” said Rubins, adding it’s been helping his confidence on the ice as well. “I’ve been taking charge a lot more, managing the puck and doing my job the right way, so obviously my confidence is way higher than it used to be.”

Rubins now has four goals and 18 assists for 21 points in 43 games on Medicine Hat’s back end.