NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Matt Paranych passes the puck around the net in the first period of the Tigers' 5-3 win Saturday at Co-op Place over the Calgary Hitmen.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
It was a long time coming but Matt Paranych finally had his welcome-to-the-WHL moment.
The 16-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman made his WHL debut Sept. 22 during a 4-1 season-opening win at Calgary over the Hitmen.
After playing all of last season at the U18 level with the South Alberta Hockey Academy and almost making the jump a couple times with the lack of injuries holding him out of the lineup, Paranych broke camp and was not denied his opportunity.
Looking back on the game and getting to play in both contests over opening weekend, Paranych says it was better than expected.
“It was great, I just played my game and it just all happened so fast,” Paranych said. “The game felt like it was five seconds long and the two days felt like they were 10 seconds long.
“It was super cool playing in the Saddledome for our first game and getting my rookie lap there. The atmosphere was great at Co-op Place for the home opener. It was super cool, just kind of a dream come true and I just tried to live in the moment.”
Associate coach Joe Frazer, who works primarily with the defence during games, was complimentary of his youngest defender’s debut and potential.
“It was great to get him in, he’s going to be a really good player for us,” Frazer said. “He’s quick, when you watch him race back to pucks he’s a smaller defenceman, he’s got to use his speed and I thought he did a great job racing back to pucks in the D-zone, getting out quick. When he had the puck, he’s a great first-pass guy in joining the rush and he’s just going to continue to improve as we go along here.”
Paranych’s family was in attendance for both games with his last name printed across their backs.
“I saw them in the crowd and they were cheering me on with the Tigers jerseys on, which was really cool as well,” he said.
As there is for most players, Paranych says there was some nerves in the first game. But, he says they settled quickly and it’s business as usual moving forward.
“There was definitely some nerves in the first period but after the first, second period, third, and then the next game, I wasn’t nervous,” Paranych said. “I was calm and collected and just focused on what I can do best.
“The nerves are all out and I’m just excited to get playing some more and just keep proving and showing them what I can do.”
He wasn’t in the Tigers’ lineup Friday at Red Deer against the Rebels as fellow rookie and South Alberta Hockey Academy alumni Nate Corbet made his WHL debut for Medicine Hat. Oasiz Wiesblatt was also in the Tigers’ lineup after missing their first two games while at Columbus Blue Jackets training camp. Wiesblatt was in a no-contact jersey at practice Thursday, with head coach Willie Desjardins saying they would make a decision Friday whether he was good to go.
Entering the weekend against the Rebels and the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday, with a 2-0 record on their backs, Paranych says they just need to continue what got them those wins in order to maintain that success.
“Those two games are pretty hard games and are two really good teams, we just have to come in with a winning mindset, we’re going to play as a team and we have really good guys in the room,” Paranych said.
