Soakin’ in the Tubb: Meneghin brings a new aura in early tenure with Tigers

By JAMES TUBB on October 11, 2024.

Through two games in the Harrison Meneghin era of the Medicine Hat Tigers, there’s a new sense of calm.

The former Lethbridge Hurricanes’ net minder has instilled a feeling of confidence and competence that has been lacking of sorts to start the Tigers’ season. He has a nonchalant ability to handle the puck outside the crease, knows when to freeze the play to squash momentum and is comfortable stepping up on breakaways.

Medicine Hat’s offence came alive in the second half of a 3-0 win Wednesday at Co-op Place over the Red Deer Rebels, but it was Meneghin’s 24-save shutout that led the way for the Tigers to snap a four-game losing streak.

While fans have found an early ability to rely on him, the players seem to have found a new influence of confidence with the 20-year-old behind them.

“We’ve seen the other side of that plenty of the past couple years, so it’s great to have him on our side,” forward Andrew Basha said in his review of Meneghin’s second start as a Tiger.

The 6-foot-4 net minder was calm after recording his fifth WHL shutout, joking about his new white helmet with a Tigers’ logo being the difference in getting the win. He didn’t let himself think about the shutout until Medicine Hat put the game out of reach.

“You think about it more if it’s 5-0, but the game was so close, the whole game,” Meneghin said. “You’re just thinking about winning, especially right now we’re focused on winning. When it was 3-0, then I started thinking about it.”

The Tigers haven’t had the kind of veteran, confidence-inducing goaltender like Meneghin since Washington Capitals prospect Garin Bjorklund in the 2021-22 season. They’ve had solid goaltending, Beckett Langkow appeared in 53 games in 2022-23 and Zach Zahara, Ethan McCallum and Evan May split duties last season.

But none have brought the presence that Meneghin has in just two appearances in the orange and black. This isn’t to say the previous Tigers’ goaltending hasn’t been sufficient, they’ve played at a WHL level and held the team in games. But as the team faces rising expectations and a brighter spotlight, the goaltending has to match that level.

Through two games, Meneghin has shown no wavering to the new pressures of the previously unknown side of the Highway 3 rivalry.

Tub(b) Thoughts

– Hard to disagree with the team choice of Oasiz Wiesblatt being named the 41st captain in franchise history. He’s the longest tenured skater, last remaining full-time player from the 2021-22 11-win season. He’s been through the trenches with this team, what a way to be recognized in his last year.

– Tigers getting hit with early injuries. Defenceman Josh Van Mulligen remains week-to-week with an upper-body injury, forward Mat Ward is day to day (upper body) and forward Ryder Ritchie is day to day after taking a skate blade to the face in Wednesday’s win. The blade missed his eye but found the middle ground between the eye and nose. Before that, Ritchie recorded his 100th WHL point with an assist on Andrew Basha’s game-winning goal.

– Everett Silvertips exceptional status defenceman Landon DuPont is seventh in league scoring, with four goals and 11 points in seven games played. The 15-year-old is a +12 and has fired the second-most shots in the league (31). What a start for the league’s youngest player.

– With the ongoing noise around the NCAA and CHL working toward a partnership that would allow CHLers to play U.S. college hockey, the Calgary Hitmen are the first WHL team to benefit. The Hitmen signed 2023 first-round pick Noah Kosick on Thursday. The 5-foot-10 forward was the lone first rounder to not sign with their WHL club, instead committing to the University of Michigan, starting the season with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede.

– After Kosick’s signing, it feels inevitable there will be more players opting for the CHL as the partnership works closer to a signed agreement. Once pen hits paper between the two organizations, fans can expect to see a lot more track suits in the stands, with college scouts flocking to major junior leagues.

James Tubb is sports reporter with the Medicine Hat News. He can be reached at jtubb@medicinehatnews.com

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