NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers captain Bryce Pickford fires a shot for his first of three goals Saturday night at Co-op Place in a 5-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild. The trio of goals was Pickford's first WHL hat trick.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
Teddy bears and hats took the air Saturday night at Co-op Place.
Medicine Hat captain Bryce Pickford recorded his first career WHL hat trick and Liam Ruck triggered the ‘Teddy Bear toss’ for a second-straight year as the Tigers downed the Wenatchee Wild 5-1 in the Medicine Hat News Teddy Bear toss game for a seventh-straight win.
“Wenatchee has a good team, we were prepared,” head coach Willie Desjardins said. “They’re way better than their record shows, the chances were pretty even. I thought the difference was our power play, our penalty kill was good as well and our goaltending was really good.
Jordan Switzer made 28 saves to record his fourth-straight win and 12th on the year.
“The team in front of me has been really good, our systems, our F3 everything we’ve talked about, it’s been really good which just helps me have success,” Switzer said.
Pickford’s three-goal night gives him 20 on the season, putting him first among CHL defenceman in goal scoring and one back of Kamloops Blazers’ forward JP Hurlbert for the WHL lead in goals. He’s tallied seven goals in his last three games.
“It feels good but we’re still a long ways away from the championship and that’s the real goal, that’s what matters,” Pickford said.
The teddy bears didn’t have to wait long Saturday night to take flight.
Noah Davidson carried the puck into the Wenatchee end before dropping off for Josh Van Mulligen. The local defenceman sent a pass cross ice to Liam Ruck who skated in and scored the ‘Teddy Bear toss’ goal for the second year in a row. His 11th of the year made it a 1-0 game 4:17 into the game.
“It’s fun for sure,” Ruck said.
“There’s a little more excitement when you score it but it’s just another goal, just another play out there.”
Just over four minutes later, the captain struck for his first.
Pickford picked up the puck along the boards and wired a shot from the face-off dot that beat starter Cal Conway at 8:15. Jonas Woo and Gavin Kor had the assists.
The Tigers struck first in the second period with the captain’s second. He had a shot blocked on a power play and after scooping the puck up again, fired a laser past Conway for the 3-0 score 10:39 into the middle frame. Liam and Markus Ruck had the assists.
With Woo in the box for a slashing penalty, the Wild got on the board.
Defenceman Boston Tait fired a shot form the point that Aiden Grossklaus tipped past Switzer to make it a 3-1 game at 14:19. Switzer, bumped on the play by Grossklaus, pleaded with the officials for an interference call to no avail as the Wild forward was pushed by a Tigers’ defender.
They ended the third with a three-goal lead thanks to another power play marker from Pickford.
Liam Ruck had the puck at the point in the Wenatchee end and sent a slow pass over the Montreal Canadiens prospect who cocked his stick back and blasted home his third of the night and 20th on the season. The marker leads the Tigers and all CHL defenceman in goal scoring.
“It feels really good, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates. I wouldn’t be the player I am, so all the kudos goes to them.” Pickford said
The 19-year-old blue liner took off his helmet and spun it on the ice in a celebration, earning a 10-minute misconduct with 2:18 left in the second period.
“I didn’t know it would be a misconduct, but I do now,” he added.
The Tigers scored the lone goal of the third period, capitalizing on a third power play on the night.
Kadon McCann, standing tall at the front of the net on the man advantage, tapped in a pass from Markus Ruck for his 11th of the season. Woo had the second assist on the marker putting the Tigers ahead 2:04 into the third.
The Wild briefly put a second goal on the board when Luka Scherbyna reached up high with his stick to re-direct a point shot past Switzer at 3:51. The goal, called good on the play, was called back due to the stick being well over the heads of players on the ice.
Medicine Hat held on, killing off a pair of late penalties, securing the 5-1 win. Wenatchee led the game in shots, 29-28 and the Tigers won the face-off battle 37-22. Wenatchee finished 1-5 on the power play.
The Tigers (19-6-3-2) are off until Friday, Dec. 12 when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors.
