NEWS FILE PHOTO
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Bryce Pickford is close to returning from an upper-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Feb. 1. Pickford is pictured during warmups ahead of an 8-1 win at Co-op Place over the Red Deer Rebels.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers could see some reinforcements in the lineup as soon as this weekend.
Head coach Willie Desjardins spoke with the News following practice Tuesday and said they could see Bryce Pickford return to the lineup as early as this weekend.
“He’s getting close, we might see him for one game this weekend, not sure but he’s getting close,” Desjardins said.
The Tigers, who were ranked fifth in the CHL’s top-10 on Tuesday, are at Lethbridge on Friday to face the Hurricanes before hosting the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday.
The 18-year-old Pickford has been out of the lineup since suffering an upper-body injury in the first period of a 4-3 shootout loss at Seattle to the Thunderbirds on Feb. 1.
At the time of his injury, Pickford led all WHL defencemen in goal scoring with 20 markers on the season. He’s been passed by Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Justice Christensen who has 22 goals and tied with two others, Victoria Royals rookie blue liner Keaton Verhoeff and Vancouver Giant Mazden Lesie.
Pickford was joined on the injured list a few weeks later by fellow 18-year-old blue liner Jonas Woo, who also was hurt in a fight, leaving late in the second period of a 1-0 win at Co-op Place over the Regina Pats on Feb. 15.
Desjardins doesn’t expect Woo will be available this weekend but he says the Manitoba product could play next weekend. If not, Desjardins says he will be back in time for playoffs.
The Tigers host Lethbridge on March 22 before they head to Calgary on March 23 to face the Hitmen in the final game of the regular season.
He hopes both Pickford and Woo can get a couple of games before the playoffs get started.
“It’s hard when you’ve been out as long as they have been to get right back into a playoff level, so it’d be nice to get a game in before then,” Desjardins said.
The Tigers relied upon rookies Tyson Moss and Riley Steen in the absence of the two defenceman and over the last five games, have called upon forward Marcus Pacheco to man the blue line. Desjardins has been impressed with those three as well as the group’s commitment to structure as they’ve had to weather the injuries.
“Our goaltending and all the defence did a great job with those guys out, they’re a big, big part of our team and for us to have the success we did it says a lot about the guys stepping up,” Desjardins said.
The Tigers have had the benefit of a slower March schedule, playing just three games to start the month and only the four left on the slate to cap off the regular season. They remain in first place of the Eastern conference, just two points ahead of the Calgary Hitmen (41-15-3-3) who have two games in hand.
Desjardins says the break has allowed them to recover a little bit, with some players battling flu and other illnesses. He says he’ll watch some games during the week but as the season wraps he hopes they maintain intensity with the slimmer schedule.
“It was nice to get a little bit of time off and regroup but we have to stay ready,” Desjardins said. “We can’t get too relaxed because this weekend’s a big weekend for us.”
