Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck leans into a shot in the first period of a 4-0, Game 1 win on March 28 at Co-op Place in the Tigers' first-round series with the Swift Current Broncos.--NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
PRINCE ALBERT
No light too bright for the Medicine Hat Tigers’ youngest talent.
The Tigers’ youth line has been moving and shaking all playoffs, finding success away from the scoresheet before finally notching those career firsts as the Tigers moved past the Swift Current Broncos in the first round of the WHL playoffs. That success, both in the fundamentals of the game and on the scoresheet, has continued into the second round.
Heading into Game 3 Wednesday in Prince Albert of the Tigers’ second-round series with the Raiders, the young line of Markus and Liam Ruck and centre Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll, sit top-25 in rookie scoring in the playoffs.
Markus notched his first playoff goal in the Tigers’ series-clinching, 3-2 Game 5 win over Swift Current on April 4, Gordon-Carroll had a goal and an assist in that game as well. They both added assists in the Tigers’ 6-4 Game 1 win on Saturday over the Raiders.
Both expressed a sense of calm and confidence washing over as the first-round series carried on, setting them up for more success in the second round.
“We weren’t producing the first four games of the series, but we knew it was going to come,” Gordon-Carroll said. “We just kept our head down, kept playing with the systems and playing hard and we knew the goals were going to come.”
Head coach Willie Desjardins says the line had had the best spread of chances on the team, creating more good looks than they allowed the Broncos to generate in the first round. They’ve also showed a willingness to play the playoff-style of hockey, physical and unrelenting.
All three have been in the mix of scrums, hits and grinding play along the boards. When asked about laying hits, both Rucks just flashed a full-toothed smile that has become as patented as their flashy, no-look passes. It’s play that has given them confidence but also impressed some of the Tigers’ more grizzled, playoff experienced talent.
“They’re 16 and 17 and they look like they’re 25 out there, they look unbelievable,” defenceman Tanner Molendyk said. “I’ve gotten pretty close to the Rucks, they’re B.C. boys, had some good chats, they’re special. Shaeff is basically a third Ruck.”
The middle-aged ‘Ruck’ on that line, Liam has found his way up the WHL scoring race for rookies in the playoffs. He’s tied for fourth with former OHA Okanagan teammate Mathis Preston of the Spokane Chiefs. The youngest of the Ruck twins has two goals and six points entering play Wednesday, including the game-winning goal in the 5-4 overtime win Sunday over the Raiders. He tipped home a point shot from Bryce Pickford on the extra-frame power play to send the Tigers on the road with the 2-0 series lead.
The 17-year-old says associate coach Joe Frazer drew up the play on the bench and it unfolded as the marker showed on the whiteboard.
“Picks’ just walked down, put it right on my tape and all I had to do was tip it in,” Ruck said.
He’s found success on the top power play for the Tigers, working down low in the corners and at the net front, with the one redirection that found twine and a couple others that either missed just wide or have been gobbled up by Raider net minder Max Hildebrand.
On a power play that features some of the WHL’s best in Gavin McKenna, Molendyk, Oasiz Wiesblatt and Pickford, Liam has quickly shown he deserves a spot among the top Tigers.
“He’s been unreal, just the way he’s stepped up in big moments all playoffs, he’s been amazing,” McKenna said. “For him to score goals like that, it may look easy, but it’s not. Back door, there’s lots of pressure to put that puck in the net and he always finds a way to do it.”
Liam, riding a three-game point streak, says he’s just kept his focus on making the simple plays when he gets the opportunity.
“Don’t over complicate things, there’s a lot of good players on that power play, obviously. Just be simple and do my thing,” Ruck said.
