NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender Evan May squares up to a puck during Tigers practice Thursday morning at Co-op Place. May was acquired by the Tigers in a trade on Tuesday.
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a new team for goaltender Evan May, but he already has friends in the group.
The 18-year-old net minder was acquired by the Tigers in a trade with the Everett Silvertips on Monday in a deal that sent forward Oren Shtrom the other way. May arrived in the Hat Wednesday night and suited up for his first practice with the Tigers on Thursday morning.
May says he quickly heard from a couple of Tigers after the move and is excited to be part of the club.
“My hometown friend (Brayden) Boehm is here, so to play with him again, it’s super exciting. When (Brendan Lee) found out, he gave me a call, because I played with him in Everett,” May said. “He reached out to me and it made me feel like home.”
The Nanaimo product has only two WHL games under his belt with a 2.83 goals against average and an .889 save percentage. He suited up for 17 games last season with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BCHL. He is excited for the chance to show his stuff with the Tigers.
“My spot’s not earned to play a game, so I just have to work here and my time will come,” May said.
After May’s acquisition the Tigers reassigned 16-year-old goalie Ethan McCallum to the CSSHL’s U18 South Alberta Hockey Academy. McCallum was on the Tigers’ opening night roster but had not yet suited up for a game. Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer says they wanted McCallum to get more games at the midget level.
“Evan was the third goalie in Everett when he got sent back, but we’ve really liked him, our scouting staff really liked him,” Frazer said. “So when he was made available, it was very intriguing for us. We need Ethan and Zach (Zahara) both playing in midget and getting more games.”
When comparing the Silvertips green to the Tigers orange and black, May said his new colours are brighter and he likes them. He says they will likely put pad tape on his current set so they fit in with the Tabbies jersey.
May didn’t have a lot of time for introductions but says the Tigers group has been welcoming and he’s excited to work with net minder Beckett Langkow fellow and goalie coach Matt Wong.
“(Beckett) is going to be a really good role model because he’s been where I am,” May said. “He can help me through it all and I’m just super excited.”
When he’s on the ice in practice May says he focuses on being in the right position, getting set and being ready for the puck while the skaters dictate the pace. When it comes to puck drop in a game, May says he breaks the game up.
“To help me stay focused I do five-minute intervals. I split the 20-minute period into four five-minute periods,” May said. “It just keeps me focused and I focus on the next shot.”
May and the Tigers are in action tonight at Co-op Place for the first time since their U.S. road trip as they host the Red Deer Rebels. That game gets underway at 7 p.m.
Skate with the Tigers
The Tigers announced on Thursday the return of their Skate with the Tigers night, which returns Oct. 25. The skate is scheduled for 6:30-7:30 p.m., and interested skaters are required to have a helmet and skates and are to arrive at the rental entrance at the back of Co-op Place, which will open at 6 p.m.
