Medicine Hat Tigers back on home ice after finding success on six-game road trip

The time away included statement wins over the Spokane Chiefs and the Western Hockey League-leading Everett Silvertips.

Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt said the team has found success through belief in one another.

“There’s just a trust and belief that we can win each game and we just gotta keep doing what were doing and sticking with it,” Wiesblatt said.

“Not getting away from our game or trying to play too skilled or whatever I think it’s just stick to Tigers hockey, playing fast, getting pucks in deep, and playing hard”

Through that, this team has talked at length about becoming a family and building bonds outside of the rink in contributing to their second half success.

“It’s just small things that other people don’t really see but we’re just more comfortable with each other,” Wiesblatt said.

“It’s just a family, it’s starting to really feel like a family lately.”

The familial nature of this group is not lost on the coaching staff either.

Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer cites his team’s leadership group as a key reason why.

“They’re really close – tight nit. That starts with the leadership group. I think Oasiz has done a great job of just making sure everyone is included when they do stuff,” Frazer said.

“With a lot of teams it’s cliquey and there’s four or five guys in each group, but this team’s really close,” he added.

“They’re tight and every time they’re doing something, the whole teams doing it together.”

Despite the high’s and recent success of this Tigers team, they have had to deal with plenty of adversity.

Most recently after seeing their 12 game win-streak snapped in Seattle, but through that adversity the club takes away a lot of positives.

“Just the adversity we went through, how different guys stepped up, and it being four in five, last game of a road trip, I thought the guys they played their hearts out,” Frazer said.

“A lot of positives to take away. It’s funny, you lose, and there’s a lot of good things to take away from it,” he added.

“I just thought the trip overall was a real good trip.”

The Tigers success has been needed, with Calgary and Lethbridge trying to chase the Tigers down for the top spot in the Eastern conference, but the team knows it’s important to stay focused on the task at hand.

“Obviously guys have an eye on it and look at it a little bit, but we’re just focused on what’s going on in the room, and focus on what we’re doing,” Wiesblatt said.

The Tigers will have an opportunity to start their win-streak anew and maintain their conference lead on Friday night against the Swift Current Broncos at Co-op Place, in what could be a preview of the first round of the playoffs.

Seats are still available through the Co-op Centre box office, or at tixx.ca. Tune in live on Wild 94.5 radio with commentators Will Bryant and Lance Doll starting Friday at 6:30 p.m, with puck drop at 7 p.m.

by Will Bryant

Medicine Hat Tigers back on home ice after finding success on six-game road trip

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