Smith enjoys taste of WHL action over weekend

By JAMES TUBB on February 8, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Shane Smith said it was a surreal moment donning the orange and black Saturday night.

The 16-year-old dressed in the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-2 loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors, a makeup game from Jan. 8.

Medicine Hat was supposed to be in Manitoba for three games over the weekend, one against the Brandon Wheat Kings and two against the Winnipeg Ice. But that trip was postponed last Monday due to capacity restrictions in the province of Manitoba.

The Tigers surrendered four goals in the first period and could not complete the comeback against Moose Jaw. Brayden Boehm scored his fifth of the season early in the second and Teague Patton notched his eighth of the campaign in the third, but it wasn’t enough.

Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins said post game that the Warriors are too good of a group to not be ready at the start of the game and said that’s a learning opportunity for the young Tigers.

“It’s a lesson learned but you can’t keep learning it, there has to be a point of time where you quit learning,” Desjardins said.

Saturday’s contest marked Smith’s second game in the Western Hockey league, first this season, since he was drafted 51st overall in 2020 by the Tigers.

He said it was something he’s been waiting a long time for and sees his game fitting into the WHL.

“It’s great, I’ve been waiting a long time for this opportunity and it was a surreal moment and I’ll never forget it,” Smith said.

“I think I am more of a physical player and I think that ties right into the Western Hockey league, as I go on, the more games I get the more comfortable I will be in and hopefully the better I will get.”

He has spent the majority of the season playing in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League with the Southern Alberta Hockey Academy. In 25 games, he has 14 goals and 21 points.

Smith practised with the Tigers last week before dressing Saturday night.

Desjardins said he thinks Smith has good character and is a good team guy whose play fits the WHL.

“It was good for him to get a chance, he’s waited a long time and it was nice for him,” Desjardins said. “Last year he played well in the game he played in. I think his game translates better in the (actual) game.”

The Tigers have a week of practice before their next game on Saturday when they host the Edmonton Oil Kings. Medicine Hat travelled to Edmonton last Wednesday and lost 6-2.

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