Key dates on the Tigers 2022-23 schedule

By JAMES TUBB on September 21, 2022.

Another Western Hockey League season has arrived and there are a number of days that stand out for the Medicine Hat Tigers in their 68-game schedule.

The Tigers’ 53rd season gets underway Saturday at Co-op Place when they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes for their home opener.

New this season, all of the Tigers’ Sunday home games will start at 4 p.m., with game times for the six other days of the week remaining at 7 p.m. The Tigers have two Sunday home contests scheduled, Nov. 27 against the Prince Albert Raiders and Feb. 5 against the Regina Pats.

The Tigers will put their passports to use in early October as they take their first trip south of the border in four years, playing five games against the U.S. Division teams from Oct. 7-14.

Fifteen days later, the Victoria Royals and former Tigers forward Teague Patton visit Co-op Place on Oct. 29, marking the first Western conference opponent in the Hat since the Spokane Chiefs visited Feb. 22, 2020. The rest of the WHL’s B.C. division – Vancouver Giants, Kelowna Rockets, Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers – will also play in Medicine Hat this season.

The Tigers’ annual teddy bear toss is slated for Dec. 3 against the Saskatoon Blades.

When Kamloops visits the Hat on Feb. 25, it will mark the return of former Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston. The Blazers bench boss was the Tigers head coach for nine seasons from 2008-2019 after serving as current head coach Willie Desjardins’ associate coach for five years and an assistant for two. Clouston held the franchise’s wins record with 375 before Desjardins returned and reclaimed the record.

Desjardins and Clouston collaborated on a trade last week when the Tigers sent Ashton Ferster to the Blazers in exchange for an eighth round pick in the 2025.

Desjardins said it will be a good game between the Tigers and Blazers as Kamloops is a strong team getting ready for their Memorial Cup this spring, and the Tigers have a lot of pride. He said he’s not surprised how much success his former assistant coach has had with the Blazers.

“He’s really good with structure and he understands the game,” Desjardins said. “He did a great job here, he’s a good coach and he has done a great job. You don’t want guys not to be successful, that’s not what you want. He’s just a good coach, so it’s not surprising that he has had success.”

The Tigers wrap up their regular season on Mar. 25 when they host the Swift Current Broncos for fan appreciation night.