Tigers look for rest, recovery after busy week

By JAMES TUBB on November 27, 2024.

After the busiest stretch of the season, the Medicine Hat Tigers look for a week to rest and rebound.

The Tigers are coming off a stretch of four games in five days, picking up three points to sit in first place of the Central division with a record of 13-11-1. Their 25 games are most in the Central though, with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (12-8-1-1-) and Calgary Hitmen (11-7-3-1) each at just 22 games played and the Edmonton Oil Kings (11-10-1-1) and Red Deer Rebels (10-10-1-2) at 23.

With two games this weekend, hosting the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday and the Hitmen on Saturday, head coach Willie Desjardins says it’s a normal week with a focus on getting rest and healthy again.

“We had a tough schedule, we need to get a little bit of a breather and a rest, so we’re getting that now,” Desjardins said. “We have to get back tomorrow, and get back to working. We have to get prepared because those will be hard games.”

The Tigers had a light skate Monday and goalie work on the ice Tuesday in place of full practices. They’ll return to normal practices today and Thursday ahead of the weekend.

Eyes will be on 20-year-old net minder Harrison Meneghin, who is day to day with a lower-body injury suffered late in the first period of a win over the Prince Albert Raiders on Nov. 20. Desjardins says they’ll have to see how he progresses through the week to determine his status for the weekend.

Bozkaya to BCHL

Tigers’ prospect defenceman Koray Bozkaya has signed with the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express. He’s played three games in the orange and black this season, playing primarily with the South Alberta Hockey Academy’s U18 team, tallying four goals and 19 points in 15 games.

“It gives him a chance to play junior hockey,” Desjardins said about the signing. “There’s a lot of players who have left that league, so there’s some more opportunity out there for him. It’s good for him to go out and get a chance to play there and get the experience from it.”

The BCHL is not a Hockey Canada-governed league, which means if Bozkaya, a product of Maple Ridge, B.C., wanted to play for the Tigers again he would have to apply for reinstatement with Hockey Canada.

Team CHL wins first game of prospect tournament

The CHL’s prospect team took the first of two games against the U.S. National Program.

Team CHL beat the U.S. prospects team 6-1 Tuesday in London, Ont.

Moose Jaw Warriors forward Lynden Lakovic and Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt each had a goal and an assist. Prince George Cougars net minder Joshua Ravensbergen made 15 saves for the win.

The CHL and U.S. team will wrap the two-game set, organized as another scouting opportunity for top prospects ahead of the 2025 NHL draft, will face off tonight at Oshawa, Ont.

That game, at 5 p.m. MST is available on TSN.

Share this story: