NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers prospect Liam Ruck strides towards the net with the puck on his stick during a scrimmage at Tigers' training camp Friday at Co-op Place.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Ruck name was buzzing around Medicine Hat Tigers training camp this weekend and not just because two of them share it.
The Ruck twins, Markus and Liam, were a talking point around the concourse at camp as the two first-round picks in the 2023 WHL draft made their full Hat debuts over the weekend.
Both agreed they had nerves early in camp but quickly settled in with each passing drill and each following shift.
“Coming out a week early to do the captain skates is really nice, getting used to it and then feel better for camp,” Liam said. “It took a little bit to get used to but after a couple games, you get used to it and you start playing how they are.”
Liam was selected ninth overall by the Tigers and was able to celebrate with Markus 12 picks later when he was picked 21st overall. They both attended the Tigers’ spring rookie camp but made their official debut in the orange and black at camp.
Markus also credited the captian’s skates for helping ease the nerves and says they were welcomed with open arms, making the experience even better.
“After the captain’s skates, just talking to all the guys, they were making me feel welcome and then at the start of camp I felt comfortable,” Markus said. “(Captain) Owen MacNeil, I’ve been billeting with him, and then Kadon McCann (made me comfortable), too. I’ve known him for a while, they were both great to me.”
Both settled into camp and found success in the orange vs. black scrimmages, both playing for team orange, with Liam leading the way with a hat trick Saturday night. He says the trio of goals was a confidence booster and helped him get closer with the veterans.
Rating each other’s training camps, Liam said his brother made his job easier on the ice and Markus, the elder Ruck, split the accolades.
“(Saturday) he was definitely better, he had his hat trick but the first and last game were pretty even, lots of fun playing with him,” Markus said.
Once the Osoyoos, B.C. products are released from Tigers preseason work, they will report back to the Okanagan Hockey Academy where they will make their debuts at the U18 level. They can each play a maximum of five games for the Tigers this season as affiliated players and can join the team full time once OHA’s season in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League season has come to a close.
When they do return to OHA, both say they are looking to put in whatever work is needed to have a strong season there and earn a spot on the Tigers as soon as possible.
“Just hopefully have a good year back at OHA, maybe win a championship and just play my game,” Liam said.
“We have to go back home, push the guys on our team to do the best they can and then hopefully have a successful year,” Markus said.
Tigers win preseason opener Tuesday
Both Rucks were in the Tigers’ lineup Tuesday when they opened their preseason action at Lethbridge with a 7-3 win against the Hurricanes.
Brayden Boehm led the Tigers’ offence with two goals and an assist. His second goal came late in the third period on a shorthanded breakaway.
Shane Smith had two goals on the night, one on a power play, game opening goal. Tyler MacKenzie, Kadon McCann and Cru Hanas each added a goal and an assist.
Three Tigers’ rookies added assists on the night, with Hayden Harsanyi recording two helpers and both Nate Corbet and Bruno Petrovics notching an assist each.
Three netminders split duties between the crease, as Ethan McCallum started the game turning aside all 13 shots he faced. Jordan Switzer stopped 12 of the 14 shots he faced in the second period and Zach Zahara stopped five of six shots he faced in the third period.
The Tigers next preseason action is Saturday when they host the Hurricanes at Co-op Place for a 7 p.m. contest.
