Tigers see youth progression in preseason loss Tuesday

By JAMES TUBB on September 5, 2024.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The start of the WHL preseason gave the Medicine Hat Tigers some early rust removal.

The Tigers lost their opening preseason matchup Tuesday night, falling 4-1 at Lethbridge to the Hurricanes. They headed down Highway 3 with only 17 skaters in the lineup, just six of whom played full time in the WHL last season.

Head coach Willie Desjardins says he was happy with his young players.

“Whenever you have a first game, you’re not in midseason form, so there’s going to be a lot of structure stuff that maybe is not there,” Desjardins said. “Overall, I thought the guys played well, I thought we had our chances, we just didn’t win.

“We had lots of different guys sprinkled throughout the lineup and it was good to see. It was just good for them to get a game, a real game, and see what they do. I thought they all battled and did pretty well.”

Avery Watson scored the Tigers’ lone goal in the loss, making good in his first preseason action. The 2008-born forward, who will play with the South Alberta Hockey Academy this season, attended training camp last season but never made it into a game. Getting the experience, he says the speed was more than expected.

“It’s obviously way faster than what you’re used to and all the guys are way stronger,” Watson said. “The biggest adjustment was kind of the physicality. I woke up with a few bumps and bruises here but I thought it was great.”

They had two goaltenders split duties, 2009-born Cash Christie started the game, making 11 saves. Jordan Switzer, a 2007-born net minder, worked 13 saves. Christie says he had some early nerves in his first taste of WHL play that settled after making his first save.

He’ll return to St. George’s Academy’s U18 team after the weekend and leaves with multiple lessons he looks to apply to his game.

“As the game went on, I just started getting more adjusted to the speed, screens, everything like that, but the biggest take from the game was just how fast and how good your details need to be in order to succeed,” Christie said.

“I’ve been told, just keeping everything I do at this level and don’t drop my details down, just because the (U18) level is a little lower. Always try to do everything at the best level I can.”

The Tigers return to Co-op Place on Saturday for their first home preseason action, hosting the Calgary Hitmen. Desjardins says that lineup will feature more veterans, with 12 skaters heading to NHL rookie camps after the weekend.

“We have a lot of guys going to pro camp and they’re going to want to have a game before they go,” Desjardins said. “I wouldn’t normally dress that type of a lineup, but it’ll be a pretty strong lineup.”

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