Young Tigers holding their own in playoff push

By JAMES TUBB on February 23, 2023.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Tigers rookies have embraced the uptick in pressure that comes with a playoff push.

The Tigers have seven rookies in their lineup who played fewer than 20 games heading into this season and like all but two of their teammates, have no WHL playoff experience.

Forwards Hunter St. Martin, Shane Smith, Cru Hanas, Tomas Mrsic and Cayden Lindstrom, defenceman Josh van Mulligen and goaltender Evan May have all worked through their first full WHL season. Head coach Willie Desjardins says he’s been impressed with how the Tigers’ 16- and 17-year-olds have come a long way since the start of the year.

“If you have the right habits that’s how you handle pressure,” Desjardins said. “Every game is the same, every practice is the same then, nothing changes. They’ve developed better habits from the start of the year, they’re way more consistent. I can play them more in big situations and that goes with our 17-year-olds as well, the 16’s weren’t the only guys who hadn’t had a lot of game action.”

Lindstrom says he hasn’t changed his game during the push but has embraced the extra work required to be good.

“You kind of have to change your approach on things, like maybe play a different role every game or just work a little harder like spending extra time at the rink seeing what you have to do, going over extra video,” Lindstrom said. “It’s what you have to do if you want to be the best, you have to put in extra work.”

The 16-year-old Chetwynd, B.C. product has seven goals and 15 points in his last 20 games. Lindstrom says he enjoys how much harder everyone else is working toward the one goal, making the playoffs.

“It’s definitely fun pushing for the playoffs, it’s just a different kind of mentality you have going into that,” Lindstrom said. “Everyone’s working hard in practice to compete and everyone is just so much faster and quicker when you’re trying to make that push. It’s great.”

Mrsic, a fellow 16-year-old, is also enjoying the winning atmosphere and how much they push one another on and off the ice.

“Guys are starting to push harder obviously in the gym, it’s getting harder and guys are working harder in practices and just getting better,” Mrsic said.

He says he’s working on multiple parts of his game, trying to get faster with stronger legs, working on his shot and his shootout moves.

Even though St. Martin is a year older than Mrsic and Lindstrom, the playoff push experience is just as exciting for the 17-year-old. He will check the scores around the league but works to keep his focus solely on the Tigers and what they can do.

“It’s amazing, I’m a rookie and it’s a good experience where you’re battling every night, you need those points,” St. Martin said. “You’re trying to get in the playoffs and that’ll just help us in the long run and especially as a young team.”

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