NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Andrew Basha carries the puck up ice in the first period of Game 5 of the WHL Championship series at Spokane against the Chiefs on May 16.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers are the best in the West and have eyes on topping Canada’s junior hockey ranks.
The Tigers hit the road today, and then the air, as they head to Rimouski for the 105th Memorial Cup tournament hosted in Quebec. After a weekend of celebrating the franchise’s sixth Ed Chynoweth Cup, they returned to the ice Monday and Tuesday for practices ahead of the tournament.
Forward Andrew Basha says they were able to have their fun but were able to flip the switch as they prepare for the final tournament.
“That just stems from kind of our culture in there,” Basha said. “It’s just like it was in those games in Spokane, try to treat it like any other hockey game and just play our game. We know there’s obviously a lot of bright lights with the Memorial Cup and everything but just keep it simple. So try to just play calm, and we’re just super pumped to get there.”
The Tigers kick off the tournament Friday against the host Rimouski Oceanic. They have a pair of off days before they face the QMJHL champion Moncton Wildcats on May 26 and the OHL champion London Knights on May 27.
“It’s pretty exciting we’re still playing, it’s a great honour to be able to do that,” Desjardins said. “In saying that, the last part’s gone. We have to quit celebrating, we have to get focused on what’s ahead.”
Desjardins has been to the Memorial Cup two times before with WHL championships in 2004 and 2007. He says he’s never faced a bad team at the Memorial Cup and says they’re in for a battle.
“We’ve watched video, teams are fast, and when you look they do similar stuff to us, everybody does similar stuff now,” Desjardins said. “They all work hard, they all have good structure and they all have really talented players.
“It’s special, getting to represent your league is special. What I’ve learned though is how hard it is and that every game is hard.”
A Western Hockey League team hasn’t won the tournament since 2014 when the Edmonton Oil Kings beat the Guelph Storm 6-3 in the final. It provides an opportunity for the Tigers that goaltender Harrison Meneghin says they all look forward to.
“If we could be the team that brings it back, we know we have the team to do it and the heart to do it as well,” Meneghin said.
The round-robin tournament will send one team home after just three games, ending their season and the junior careers of their overage players and soon-to-be turning pro NHL prospects. Taking it game by game but also realizing the importance of each game is a focus captain Oasiz Wiesblatt says he’ll look to maintain within the group.
He’s looking to enjoy the moment but also end his junior career on a high at the CHL’s biggest stage.
“It’s just really exciting to kind of play new teams, and playing in (Sidney) Crosby’s old building, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Wiesblatt said.
“I’m just looking forward to playing the first game but still, just one game at a time. It will be really cool play Rimouski, obviously London with such a rich history team, we don’t want to give it to them. So it’s going to be really exciting to play those guys, too.”
Basha has family in the East and he’s expecting a lot of them to make the trip and see him continue his junior hockey career. He hasn’t been East since before the COVID-19 but he used to spend his summers there. He also speaks fluent French, a little rusty now he says, a fact he hopes won’t turn him into the team’s translator.
“I’m sure I’ll be tasked with that, but I’ll probably try and get around that, it’s getting a little rusty,” Basha said. “For sure I’ll be helping the boys out and I’m kind of excited to play the French teams. I’ll be able to kind of know what they’re saying and stuff out there, so it’ll be fun.”
The Tigers’ practice Tuesday at Co-op Place did mark an end for the club, their final skate on home ice for the 2024-25 season. The arena staff will be lifting up the ice starting today. While they have games ahead to focus on, Desjardins says they’ve had a special year as a group and he hopes they can cap it off with some more success.
“It gives me chills, it’s been a pretty special year in lots of ways, the team’s been really special, the fans have been really special and the city’s been on board,” Desjardins said. “Just the first responders and everything, that’s something you always remember, this group will always remember it. Now we just have to remember that we’re not done, we have more to do.”
