NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Vasyl Spilka waves to bat a puck out of midair in the first period of a 7-3 loss Friday at Co-op Place to the Calgary Hitmen.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Like most athletes, Vasyl Spilka isn’t a fan of watching games from the press box.
The Czechia forward made his way back into the Medicine Hat Tigers’ lineup last Friday after missing six games with a lower body injury. The start of his WHL debut season was delayed due to an off-season shoulder injury that required surgery.
Now that he’s back in the lineup, Spilka says his confidence can continue to grow.
“It’s so much better to play and just practise, put in hard work in the gym,” Spilak said “I’m happy to be back in the lineup.”
The 17-year-old didn’t like his own game in the Tigers 7-3 loss on Dec. 1 against the Calgary Hitmen, his return to the lineup. But he says he played better in a 6-2 win the next night over the Prince Albert Raiders.
Head coach Willie Desjardins was happy to get the young forward back and says he is looking forward to how he can continue to grow.
“He’s a very good player, he’s really smart, he’s good defensively, it’s going to take him a while,” Desjardins said. “He came in with a shoulder, the league’s a different league, so it was hard, and then his knee, so he’s behind right now for sure. We’re going to have to work him in but I know he’s not satisfied with his game. He wants to be better and that’s where it has to start. But to get there, he has to put in a lot of work.”
Spilka did reach a milestone in the Tigers win over Prince Albert, recording his first WHL goal, a mark no one in the building recognized until later on.
There was a loose puck in behind Prince Albert net minder Max Hildebrand that stayed in the crease, and after a few sticks took some knocks at it, Kadon McCann was credited with the goal with 2:42 left in the second period. After the goal was reviewed post game, it was ruled Spilka had the last touch.
While he’s not upset he didn’t get credit for the goal in real time, Spilka says he’s looking forward to getting his next goal and hearing his name called then.
“I’ve said it before, it’s the best junior league in the world and to score here is amazing,” Spilka said. “I hope I will get another one this season.”
