Central Division-leading Medicine Hat Tigers take on a pair of tough opponents this weekend at home

“They’re absent their number one player in Roger McQueen, an A-rated prospect for the upcoming NHL draft. But they’ve been a team that’s really been able to come together despite the injury to their leading scorer at the start of the year,” Bryant said.

“They’ve just seen tremendous depth come forward and expect to see that tonight. It’s going to be a physical game between Brandon and Medicine Hat,” he added.

“Already the third time these clubs have met and they’re out of division opponents. They only play four times. So three games at this juncture in the season is quite a lot, really. I expect to see a game between two clubs that are familiar with one another and both are looking for a big two points.”

The Tigers got the upper hand in game one against the Wheat Kings back on Oct.11 at Co-op place with a big 6-1 win, a game that also had Tigers forward Hayden Harsanyi suffer an injury.

Bryant said he expects Tigers goaltender Harrison Meneghin to be out again for this one, with Jordan Switzer likely to get the start.

The Tigers will be looking to solve the Wheat Kings goaltender after being shutout in the teams last meeting in Brandon, and giving up a pair of empty-net goals at the end of the game.

“The Tigers are also going to want revenge for the 3-0 defeat. They ran into a really hot goaltender in Carson Bjarnason, who’s a second round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, even a bubble world junior roster pick,” Bryant said.

“Bjarnason might be looking to impress, maybe get a late invite if he hasn’t already secured a world junior invite,” he added.

“Both clubs have a little bit of motivation here to play for tonight. I think it’s going to be a highly entertaining game.”

Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer said it’s a huge weekend against a pair of great opponents.

“Every nights a battle and that’s what you want. That’s the exciting part,” Frazer said.

“We had a week off here. Good practices, so we’ll be ready for the weekend.”

After dropping three of their last four games Tigers forward Hunter St. Martin said the Tigers need to get back on track.

“Our last road trip wasn’t how we wanted it to go. We played a lot of games and we are in first, but points percentage wise we are not, so we need to keep staying with our process here,” St. Martin said.

“Making sure we are building on our habits and getting better every day and we trust our group to win.”

Heading into Saturday night, it’s a divisional matchup against a very strong Calgary Hitmen team.

Bryant said the Hitmen will be a very different team than the two prior meetings the Tigers won.

“Calgary’s revamped and really decided that this is the year that they’re going to go for it,” Bryant said.

“They acquired Tanner Howe from the Regina Pats, a product of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kalem Parker from the Moose Jaw Warriors, who appeared in the Memorial Cup last year for the Warriors when they made that championship run,” he added.

“They’ve added some experience and they’ve added some high skill on the back end alongside Carter Yakemchuk, who’s the seventh overall pick of the Ottawa Senators in this past year’s NHL Draft. Certainly a very talented back end for the Calgary Hitmen.”

Bryant said the Hitmen’s defense is possibly the deepest now in the Western Hockey League.

“Certainly up there with the caliber of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who don’t have a defensive core to be scoffed at either, led by Bryce Pickford, who’s fourth in defenseman scoring, leads all defensemen in goals,” Bryant said.

“When he was acquired from Seattle this offseason, we knew we were getting a physical player. We didn’t understand, at least the fans didn’t, the offensive prowess that came with Pickford,” he added.

“For my money, he should absolutely be ranked in the NHL Central Scouting list. He wasn’t when it came out last month, and I’d be very surprised if he was omitted from that list yet again.”

Pickford went undrafted in his first year of eligible for the NHL Entry Draft in 2024.

Pickford said they need to end up on the right side of the close games.

“I think we just need to find a way to win these games. We are close and we deserve to win them,” Pickford said.

Bryant said to keep your eyes on the line of 2008 players for the Tigers.

“I think Schaefer Gordon-Carroll, and that line he centers with Liam and Marcus Ruck on left and right wing, that’s a line to keep an eye out for. Since the Rucks got back from the under-17s, they have been sensational,” Bryant said.

“Gordon-Carroll has just fit into that line like a glove. He’s first among rookies in the Western Hockey League in face-off percentage. He has just come into his own,” he added.

“He just turned 16 on Tuesday, so he just had his birthday. He got a goal on Saturday against Saskatoon to send the game to overtime. That line is flourishing, and they’re all so young. It’s going to be exciting to watch them tonight.”

Will Bryant will be joined on the call by Lance Doll with the call on Wild 94.5, with the pre-game starting at 6:30 p.m both Friday and Saturday night.

Puck drop at Co-op Place set for 7 p.m. for both games.

by Jesse Gill

Central Division-leading Medicine Hat Tigers take on a pair of tough opponents this weekend at home

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