NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN - Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cole Sillinger celebrates a goal against the Prince Albert Raiders Nov. 23, 2019 at Canalta Centre.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
It’s often easy to forget Cole Sillinger is only 16 years old.
Whether watching the 6-foot, 187 forward take the ice for a faceoff, hearing him speak to the media or witnessing a six-point performance in an 8-4 win over the reigning champion Prince Albert Raiders, Sillinger simply fits the bill of an older, more experienced player. But he’s only 16.
“You forget he’s 16 a lot of the time,” said Tigers assistant coach Joe Frazer. “You look at him and he doesn’t look 16 physically, but mentally and maturity-wise he’s way older than that.Â
“To get contributions from a 16-year-old like that, not many teams have that, so we’re very fortunate. He’s been a heck of a player for us and he’s a big reason for our success.”
With 12 goals and 23 assists in 28 games played (prior to Friday’s game in Swift Current), Sillinger leads the Western Hockey League’s rookie scoring race by a four-point margin, while his average 1.25 points per game put him in a class of his own. Those 35 points even have Sillinger sitting 21st in the league’s overall scoring race despite missing out on five games to compete with Team Canada White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Sillinger says the success stems back to last March, when he was called up to help out the team in the playoffs.
“I say this a lot, but coming up here last year in playoffs, I think it really helped me and it helped me confidence levels,” said Sillinger.Â
The Regina product has spent his season on a line with 19-year-olds Brett Kemp and Ryan Chyzowski, and the trio hit a high point in the Dec. 11 win over the Raiders. The speedy line combined for 15 points on the night, cashing in on seven of the team’s eight goals. Sillinger had a goal with five assists, while Kemp had a hat trick and two helpers and Chyzowski added a hat trick of his own with an assist for good measure.Â
“Right now, I think we’re just clicking,” said Sillinger, adding they haven’t changed their approach as a line. “I don’t think it’s any different, we’re not doing anything different. In practice we’re trying to bury the puck more and finish the play and I think that’s paying off in games. I think that’s the only thing different we’re doing. When we’re in slumps that’s what we say, just score in practice and it’ll transfer to the game.”
Kemp – who sits 12th in the WHL’s scoring race with 15 goals and 25 assists on the year – says that sort of work ethic has been the driving force behind their success as a trio all season.Â
“We know our skill is going to take over when we work hard, so we’ve been doing that,” he said. “It’s kind of keeping it to the basics, just keep working hard and we know it’s going to pay off.”
Solid conditioning doesn’t hurt either. The Tigers have outscored opponents 51-28 in the third period this season, and Sillinger says it’s the direct result of putting in the literal legwork on the bike after games and practices.Â
“We think we’re a third-period team,” said Sillinger. “We’re doing lots of extra conditioning, riding the bike, staying on it after practice, and that’s paying off in the third.”
