NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Cubs captain Kyle Woolridge leans into a shot in the first period of a 3-0 win Sunday at the Kinplex over the Airdrie Thunder.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Cubs ended their first weekend on home ice in convincing fashion.
The Cubs, rebounding from a 5-4 loss Friday in the home opener, blanked the Airdrie Thunder 3-0 on Sunday to sit 2-2 after two weekends.
“It was huge win for us at home to get that momentum going,” head coach Trent Derzaph said. “When you look at the shot clock from (Sunday), being 47 to 13 in favour for us, we’re starting to play Cubs style hockey style that I want us to play, things are starting to click. It was a big bounce-back from Friday night.”
On Friday the Cubs led the Cochrane Generals 4-3 after two periods with a pair of goals from Cole Fisher and singles from Carson Kraft and Randen Collier. The Generals scored twice in the third for the win, Kayne Wright made 33 stops for the Cubs.
Derzaph says their 43 penalty minutes Friday held them back from gaining momentum and they couldn’t get the bounces. He says they gave themselves a better fate Sunday.
In the win, Medicine Hat held Airdrie to just 13 shots, all turned aside by Marlo DeRosa. Captain Kyle Woolridge scored the eventual game winner in the first period, and both Kraft and Collier scored in the third.
The Cubs head back on the road this weekend for a pair of games against the Don Lunn North Division. They face the Mountainview Colts (2-2) on Saturday and the defending champion Sylvan Lake Wranglers (4-0). Derzaph says the weekend on the road gives them a look at the other division and another chance to grow as a group.
Derzaph’s liked what he’s seen from his team so far but he’s just as excited for the next step they’ll take moving forward.
“Can we play better, absolutely, we will be playing better,” Derzaph said. “Our two losses don’t mean a whole bunch in my books other than points, both losses were one-goal games, so we’re right there. I haven’t felt that we’ve been outplayed in any of our games out of the four. So I’ve got a great squad and I’m looking forward to just grow and start winning with them.”
