Medicine Hat Tigers take on familiar rivals in Lethbridge

A Hurricanes team he had played 91 of his 100 career games in net for.

Fitting that Meneghin will be wearing new goalie equipment, with Tigers colours for game 101 of his WHL career in Lethbridge.

“It’s pretty cool to think about, how long of a journey it’s been, but also how special it also has been,” Meneghin said.

“I’m excited and I’m ready to steal two points from them as well.”

Newer to the Western Hockey League, this will be Tigers forward Carter Cunningham‘s sixth game, and one he won’t forget, with friends and family in the crowd to watch him play in his hometown.

“It’s an honour. I grew up watching the Hurricanes, went to games every single season. It’s going to be surreal playing against them now that I am in the WHL,” Cunningham said.

“It’s going to be a very special game for me and my family. I’ve got a lot of people coming out, so yeah I’m going to try to make it a good one,” he added.

“My family got their own box for the game, and I know a whole bunch of my buddies are just texting me and excited for me to play. So it’s going to be awesome playing in front of them.”

Cunningham will look to convert some Hurricanes fans over to the Tigers.

“I already got my brother a Tigers jersey, so he better be walking around strutting his stuff with that on,” Cunningham said.

“I don’t know if the buddies have got Tigers merch yet, but I’ll be sure to get them some soon.”

Tigers forward Hunter St. Martin knows they will be in for a tough battle with a Hurricanes team that has seven wins, one loss, and one overtime loss at home this season.

“It’s always hard going into Lethbridge.They play hard at home there. We know they are going to work hard. They are going to play us hard,” St. Martin said.

“We just have to go in and know that and come in and play our best game. It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a grind,” he added.

“We are going to need everyone, but if everyone shows up and we play Tigers hockey. I think we can go in and get a win.”

Former Tigers teammate Shane Smith, will likely be a game time decision on the other side of the ice, listed day-to-day with an upper body injury as of Tuesday’s WHL Injury Report.

St. Martin is hopefully to see Smith, but know it will be different.

“Definitely a little weird. Smitty and me were pretty close,” St. Martin said.

“It’s kind of a little bit exciting to be able to play against him and maybe see him,” he added.

“You kind of know him, so you know what he is going to bring, so you go play hard and hopefully you can bug him about getting a win after.”

Meneghin said there has been lots of chatter with his old teammates leading up to the contest.

“It’s going to be fun. I’m super excited,” Meneghin said.

“I got nothing but respect and I love the guys over there. I love the staff. But at the end of the day I’m going there to win,” he added.

“I’m excited to see them after, but before the game, it’s all business.”

Game time at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena is at 7 p.m.

The pre-game radio broadcast starts on Wild 94.5 with Will Bryant at 6:45 p.m.

This will be the first of eight regular season contest between the Tigers and Hurricanes.

As the Tigers take on their Highway 3 rival, chasing down top spot in the Central Division.

by Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat Tigers take on familiar rivals in Lethbridge

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