Tigers d-men stepping up with injuries upfront

By JAMES TUBB on February 23, 2022.

The Medicine Hat Tigers have embraced the ‘next man up’ mentality as of late.

With forwards Tyler MacKenzie and Noah Danielson on the injury shelf for the last couple games, the Tigers have had 11 forwards and seven defencemen available.

As a result, defencemen Pasha Bocharov has played as a forward the last two games, including Monday’s 4-1 loss to the Prince Albert Raiders.

Bocharov said it’s a completely different game playing as a forward because of how quick the action moves around you compared to on defence.

“It’s a completely different game, it’s crazy how fast everything is when you’re used to being able to see everything up ice,” Bocharov said. “Then when you are in the mix and trying to play your position it’s a little different but I would say it’s pretty fun.”

He said the most satisfying part of playing the new role was getting to take pucks away from defenders in place of having pucks taken from him.

“It’s really satisfying turning pucks over when you’re forechecking a defenceman I realized,” Bocharov said. “Where I would say it’s the exact opposite, turning the puck over, when you are a defenceman and the forward is coming in hot.”

Reid Andresen slotted up in the lineup for one game on Jan. 30 against the Red Deer Rebels. He said it takes a little bit of time to adapt at first because of the play in the neutral zone.

“In the neutral zone, the re-groups as a forward are a lot different than as a defenceman,” Andresen said. “You have to be in the right spot and swing, and as a d-man you usually just pass the puck. As a forward you do all the work so it’s a lot harder.”

Both Bocharov and Andresen said it was a lot more tiring to play as a forward than a defenceman. Russian defenceman Gleb Ivanov also stepped into the different role last Friday when the Tigers were in Swift Current taking on the Broncos.

Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer said the coaching staff had a meeting with the defensive group and said it was incredible to see all seven players willing to change positions and credited the three guys on their times as forward.

“It just goes to show the type of people we have in that room and I think that’s why we haven’t quit yet,” Frazer said. “We have great people, great character and it’s been challenging obviously but guys are battling through it and they all want to sign a contract, that’s the end goal.

“I thought all three guys, they didn’t miss a beat, they all have skill, all smart, it was great to see them up front and they created some offence for us too, just couldn’t capitalize on them.”

Bocharov did quickly admit that changing back from forward to defence in practice was really nice.

“It was like putting my foot in a customized shoe, it was really nice going back,” Bocharov said. “It wasn’t like there was changes, it was like ‘Oh we’re back to what it was.'”

The 17-year-old Bocharov skated as a defenceman in practice Tuesday ahead of the Tigers matchup tonight in Regina. When asked how to defend Pats superstar Connor Bedard, Bocharov said they have to do everything the right way.

“You have to play hard, not give those guys any respect and just stay up on them, match your speed, do what you can and it should be a good game when we are in our spots, just doing everything the right way,” Bocharov said.

The Tigers will look to snap their seven-game losing streak against Bedard and the Pats when that game gets underway tonight at 6 p.m.