NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck shields the puck near the boards in the Red Deer end in the first period of a 3-0 Tigers' win Oct. 9 at Co-op Place over the Rebels. Liam and Markus Ruck were named to Canada's roster for the U17 Hockey Challenge.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers’ dynamic duo will represent Canada for a second time.
The twin Tigers, Liam and Markus Ruck, have been named to Team Canada White for the U17 Hockey Challenge set for Nov. 3-9 in Sarnia, Ont.
“It’s always an honour to wear that crest, and we’re really excited for that opportunity,” Liam said. “Hopefully we can get a medal this time.”
It won’t be the first time the Rucks have played with the Maple Leaf on their chest, as both represented Canada earlier this year at the Youth Winter Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea. Canada finished fourth in the tournament, falling to the eventual gold medal-winning United States, featuring Tigers’ rookie Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll.
It’s a huge honour, especially with going with Liam too, that just makes it so much better,” Markus said. “It’s be a great experience, we’re going to make the most of the opportunity and I can’t wait.”
Both Markus and Liam attended Hockey Canada’s U17 development camp in Oakville, Ont. in July. Having represented Canada once already makes the experience more comfortable for the two young athletes.
“You know everything the staff is asking for, their expectations for us, it just makes it easier knowing what you have to do and what they expect,” Markus said.
Both Liam and Markus have contributed early in their rookie seasons. Liam has a goal in five games, while Markus has tallied two goals in six games, including an empty netter in the Tigers’ 3-0 win Wednesday at Co-op Place over the Red Deer Rebels.
Their selection at the tournament marks a third year in a row the Tigers have sent players to the U17 Hockey challenge. Forwards Cayden Lindstrom and former Tiger Tomas Mrsic played in the 2022 tournament. The WHL and CHL rookie of the year Gavin McKenna played in the 2023 tournament.
The set of games kicks off Nov. 3, with Team Canada White’s first pre-tournament game set for Nov. 1 against the U.S., a 5 p.m. MST puck drop.
They’ll have two preliminary games, facing Czechia on Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. and Sweden on Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. The tournament quarter-finals start Nov. 7, with semis held the next day and the six-team event wrapping up Nov. 9 with the gold and bronze medal games.
