NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Bryce Pickford waits for a pass in the second period of a 5-1 win Saturday at Co-op Place over the Wenatchee Wild. The Tigers' captain scored three times in the win, his first WHL hat trick.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
In Bryce Pickford’s eyes, everything happens for a reason.
Getting snubbed by Hockey Canada for a spot at their World Juniors camp is just another bump to move on from for the Medicine Hat Tigers’ captain.
“It was obviously in the back of my head, but it’s team first for me,” Pickford said. “I just want our team to do well and we are. So it sucks not getting recognized but everything happens for a reason and I’m trying to stay positive.”
The 19-year-old defenceman sits tied with his D-partner Jonas Woo, leading WHL blue liners with 36 points. He leads all CHL defenceman with 20 goals, sitting one back of the WHL skaters leader JP Hurlbert.
The Montreal Canadiens prospect had seven goals in three games last week, earning WHL player of the week honours. In his last 10 games, he’s tallied 11 goals and 18 points. On the season he has the second best plus-minus, two behind Woo.
“Canada’s a great team and they have a lot of good players but I think Bryce was one of the top defenders in the country,” associate coach Joe Frazer said. “It’s unfortunate and disappointing that he didn’t get the invite.”
The two-time WHL champion says the snub adds to his internal fire that already burns hot.
“It adds to it, I’m definitely going to keep it in the back of my head and I’ll use it as fuel when I’m here at 6 a.m. and the morning sucks,” Pickford said. “I’ll remember that and it’ll get me fired up to get up and get going. Even in a game when we need a goal, I’m going to remember that and hope it gets me going.”
The Tigers as a whole have internal motivation heading into the penultimate week of the unofficial first half of the WHL season. They carry a seven-game win streak with two home games on the docket, hosting the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday and the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday.
Frazer says they haven’t discussed the Holiday break yet, with a matchup against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Dec. 17 before that.
“Everybody knows it’s coming, but we have a job to do,” Frazer said. “We have to be focused on this weekend, Moose Jaw and Swift Current, that’s two tough teams and we have to make sure we have a good week of practice and just stay in the moment. Make sure we stay present and just keep working to get better.”
After a few busy weeks with mid-week games, four days to practice allows them to work on special teams and different lineups such as six-on-five, four-on-three and three-on-three.
The Tigers’ power play sits at 26.1 per cent, seventh in the WHL entering play Tuesday. Their penalty kill ranks the same, running at 80 per cent.
They’re also able to work forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll and defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen through lines, both close to a return according to head coach Willie Desjardins.
After Saturday’s 5-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild, the Tigers’ head coach said he thought they would’ve been able to return last weekend and he hopes this weekend they can get back into the lineup.
