CHAT News File Photo

By Chris Brown

Pregame: Tigers have Warriors, Bedard’s Pats on weekend schedule

Jan 27, 2023 | 1:23 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat Tigers are looking at another two-game weekend, including one in which they’ll try to slow down one of the top talents in all of junior hockey.

The Tabbies (18-21-6-1) will take on the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday and the Regina Pats on Sunday.

The Tigers and Warriors have battled three times this season with Medicine Hat coming out on top in two of those contests. Following a 5-4 shootout loss at Co-op Place on Nov. 11, they won 5-1 in Moose Jaw on Nov. 12 and followed that with a 6-3 win at home on Dec. 10.

The Warriors (28-15-0-3) sit 13 games above .500, but in a stacked East Division that’s only good enough for third place. Jagger Firkus, picked 35th overall by the Seattle Kraken in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, leads the team with 57 points.

IN THE COMMUNITY

'Compassionate Friends' offer peer support for bereaved in Medicine Hat

5h ago

POSTAL STRIKE

Donations to Medicine Hat non-profits drop over Canada Post strike

6h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Adopt-A-Rink program still seeking volunteers

14h ago

As good as Firkus is playing this year, it’s nothing compared to who awaits the Tigers on Sunday.

Western Hockey League superstar and consensus first-overall pick in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft Connor Bedard has scored 39 goals and 42 assists in just 33 games. Earlier this month he led Canada to gold at the World Junior Championship, earning MVP, Best Forward and being named to the tournament all-star team. He tallied nine goals and a record 23 points in the tournament.

This is the first of four meetings between the Tigers and Pats (22-20-1-1) in the final two months of the regular season.

Brendan Lee and Andrew Basha head into the weekend tied for the Tigers’ scoring lead at 38 points.

Puck drop is at 6 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday and 3 p.m. Mountain time on Sunday and you can hear all the action live on Wild 94.5 with voice of the Tigers Gino De Paoli.