NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
The Medicine Hat Tigers salute the crowd at Co-op Place following a 3-2, Game 5 win over the Swift Current Broncos on April 4, winning the best-of-seven first-round series 4-1.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
This is no series of unfortunate events but a second-round series of hapless rinks to be an away team in.
The Medicine Hat Tigers and Prince Albert Raiders kick-off their second-round series Saturday and Sunday at Co-op Place for Games 1 and 2 in the meeting of division champions. The series shifts to Prince Albert on Wednesday and Thursday before returning, if needed, on April 19.
Both teams have benefited from dedicated fan bases showing up to start the playoffs, with an average of 5,792 fans showing up to the Tigers three home games in the first-round series with the Swift Current Broncos.
“All the energy you can have in the rink, it translates to us,” Tigers forward Ryder Ritchie said. “It’s been unbelievable in the playoffs and it would be awesome if we can keep packing this place and just be ready for Game 1. Because that sets the tone for the rest of series.”
Prince Albert’s Art Hauser Centre saw an average of 3,046 enter the intimate-sized rink during their seven-game, first-round series with the Edmonton Oil Kings, capped off by a sell-out crowd of 3,293 for the decisive Game 7.
While Co-op Place has seen standing-room only seats come available in the last quarter of the regular season and playoffs, it would be a stretch to say it’s the more hostile rink. The smaller Art Hauser Centre was named the second toughest building to play in according to a mid-season poll conducted by the Western Hockey League.
Former Saskatoon Blade Tanner Molendyk played a lot of games in the Art Hauser during his four and a half years down the road in Toon Town. He says it’s a hostile rink to play in and one they have to try to take advantage of, as they did in Swift Current’s InnovationPlex.
“That rink is like no other,” Molendyk said. “It’s pretty similar to Swift’s but it’s much more hostile in there.”
The 20-year-old has played in some high-calibre moments in his young hockey career, exposed to loud rinks during his time in the WHL as well as while representing Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2022-23 and at the World Juniors this season.
How does he handle the noise? Use it as a charger.
“It’s crazy, you don’t realize it when you’re in the crowd, but when you’re on the bench, you just want to play that much better,” Molendyk said. “Obviously there’s that much more attention but just the energy and loudness just gets you up for the game.”
There were few tickets left available in Co-op Place for both Games 1 and 2 as of press time, a similar state for the Art Hauser and Games 3 and 4. It’s a showcase from the fans that hasn’t gone unappreciated as the players look to gain any kind of extra ounce of motivation they can.
“The fans are the best whenever boys are warming up, or when we score, we’re always checking around and seeing how electric the building is,” forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll said. “We can’t do enough for our fans, we love them, and we appreciate them coming out every time.”
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