Cubs return to Kinplex on high note

By JAMES TUBB on November 11, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Cubs are back in familiar territory.

After playing the last four games and past three weekends on the road, the Cubs return to the friendly confines of the Kinplex for two games this weekend.

Head coach and general manager Randy Wong says it’s nice to be back and is looking forward to seeing the fans in the stands when they host Cochrane on Saturday and Sylvan Lake on Sunday.

“We’ve got lots going on as we’re paying our respects the day after Remembrance Day, and hopefully we have some visitors coming from the base,” Wong said. “Anybody with a military card can come in and watch our game for free and the players will be wearing some commemorative jerseys to honour all our soldiers. With a silent auction of those jerseys throughout the game.

“What better’s to do then come watch a hockey game on a Sunday afternoon, get out of the house and enjoy the game?”

The Cubs enter the weekend not only with a full slate of action on the ice but carry a four-game winning streak, climbing back above .500 and in third place of the HJHL’s South division. Wong says it was good to get on the road for his team to bond and gain chemistry.

“It was one of those situations where we needed to get some games under our belt and whether it was at home or away, the fact that is was away holds even better weight,” Wong said. “Because now you’re used to kind of playing in another barns and having success in other barns. That’s important as you kind of get ready for playoffs, which is a ways away yet, but you have to start somewhere and so it was a good road trip.”

The Cubs (7-3-2) as a team sit third in the league in goals for (63) and have given up the fifth fewest goals (45). Wong says the identity they want is quick and offensive, which should put them in a good position against the league’s heavy weights like the Okotoks Bisons and Cochrane Generals.

“If you’re going to beat them, you have to play their style and you have to make sure you have the right people on the ice at the right times and that you’re executing the way you should be,” Wong said. “If you want to win a championship, you’ve got to build your team to make sure that you can have a chance to upset those guys.”

The weekend ahead also gives the Cubs an opportunity to measure the team within the league, with Cochrane ahead of them in the South division and Sylvan Lake leading the North.

“If there’s any one weekend where you’re going to see how you stack up, this is the weekend. It’s important, we can catch Cochrane, they are a few points ahead of us but we’ve got some games in hand. We beat them in their building last time we played them not too long ago. We have to continue with that and gain confidence against those stronger teams,” Wong said.

“Sylvan Lake is on their road trip starting off in Coaldale, then coming to us on Sunday. They’re dominant in the north so we want to make sure that we show well against them because we only see them once at home, we’ll go to Sylvan Lake in January. You want to plant the seed that we’re no slouches and we’re going to compete hard for those two points.”

Saturday’s ‘salute to the military’ game against Cochrane gets started at 6 p.m. and Sunday’s matinee against the Sylvan Lake Wranglers kicks off at 3 p.m., both at the Kinplex.

Editors note: An earlier version of the story called the Sylvan Lake Wranglers them the Warriors.

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