NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Shane Smith scans for a pass in the offensive zone during a scrimmage Sunday on the final day of Tigers' training camp at Co-op Place. Smith had two goals in the Tigers' 7-3 preseason win Tuesday at Lethbridge against the Hurricanes.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers who were in the lineup Tuesday night took advantage of their preseason showcase.
The Tigers won 7-3 at Lethbridge against the Hurricanes, taking the first of their four preseason contests. They were led offensively in the win by veteran talent, with retuning skaters Shane Smith and Brayden Boehm each scoring two goals and Tyler MacKenzie and Cru Hanas each adding a goal and an assist.
Associate coach Joe Frazer says the performances showed leadership from their older players, and it was important for them to showcase themselves early for the younger players.
“It’s really important not only just how we play, but how we want to conduct ourselves off the ice preparing for games, cooling down after,” Frazer said. “It’s really important that the veterans show the young guys what we do here. And then when the young guys are older guys, they’ll do the exact same and just repeat themselves. So I thought our leadership was really good.”
Smith enters camp off a strong rookie campaign, leading the team in rookie scoring with 19 goals and 32 points in 66 games while playing full-time penalty kill minutes and working in on the power play. He says the early offence only makes him feel better and he is looking to continue moving himself as the preseason continues.
“Confidence is a big thing in this game, so to get try and get that early is really good, and hopefully I can bring it into the next couple games,” Smith said. “It feels pretty awesome to fill more of a leadership role of this year with a bunch of young guys in camp and just pushing each other. No spots are guaranteed and you’re always battling for spots in the lineup, so it’s a lot of fun. It’s good to see all the young guys in.”
The Tigers also received production from their younger players, with rookies Kadon McCann capitalizing with an empty net goal and an assist, and Hayden Harsanyi, Nate Corbet and Bruno Petrovics each adding assists.
McCann played two preseason games last year with the Tigers and suited up three times in the regular season as an affiliated player. Entering the preseason this year with a chance to secure a roster spot has created a different feeling for the Cochrane product.
“You’re no longer the young guy, so you have to share your experiences with the Rucks and Steen and all those ’08s and younger guys,” McCann said. “So for me, it was just checking in on them, making sure that they’re doing OK, and make sure they’re not nervous, because it’s just hockey, another game. It’s super fun, so now that I’m trying to get a spot this year it’s also tough for me to kind of have to work harder, and I’m battling for a spot now so it’s no longer just have fun out there, you can still have fun but I’m battling for a spot.”
The Tigers dressed five 2008-born players from their 2023 draft class, with forwards Liam and Markus Ruck, Avery Watson and defenceman Koray Bozkaya and Riley Steen making their debuts. Frazer says there was a lot to be impressed of from the young group.
“Both Riley Steen and Koray Bozkaya had great gap, both guys can skate, great visual with the puck, so both guys have bright futures on the back end – we’re really excited about them,” Frazer said. “The Ruck twins and Avery Watson, after the first two shifts, once they got the nerves out, you can really see just the hockey sense and their playmaking ability. Liam actually led our team in primary chances for, so it’s just really exciting to see and great for them to get the first one under their belt.”
The Tigers have a few days of practice before their next preseason contest, hosting the Hurricanes on Saturday at Co-op Place. Both teams featured younger lineups Tuesday night, as is customary in junior hockey to allow younger rookies a chance to experience the next level before the veterans take over in a battle for final roster spots.
“We want to get some guys in we didn’t play (Tuesday) night, so we expect Saturday to be a little harder, a little faster, we expect some of their 20-year-olds to play and ours as well,” Frazer said. “Every day you tell the young guys, every day it gets faster. When guys usually leave other teams, and same with us, but every day it gets faster and it gets harder, from preseason to the regular season is way faster. First half to the second half, second half to playoffs. Each day gets more competitive.”
