Medicine Hat Tigers embrace ‘brotherhood’ ahead of first WHL Finals appearance since 2007

“I think it’s just the brotherhood we have in that room. It shows on the ice, it shows off the ice. It really brings us together,” St. Martin said.

“The chemistry that we have, the guys out of the lineup, the guys in the lineup, we’re just one,” he added.

Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins says that when this team became a family is when they began to win.

“I think at the start of the year we were just a group of guys, thrown together, and I think as we went through we became more of a family we started playing harder for each other and I think that’s huge,” quipped Desjardins.

Despite a 12-1 record this postseason, the Tigers toughest test yet remains in front of them — the Spokane Chiefs, who are prehaps the only team that can match the Tigers potent offense.

Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt is a key piece of the Cats offensive puzzle and recognizes the challenge ahead.

“I know down there [on the U.S trip] they were for sure the toughest team that we faced and they were probably one of the fastest so we know how they play and we know kinda how they wanna play,” Wiesblatt said.

St. Martin added: “They’re a fast team.”

“When we played them they’re super fast, they’re very good. They’ve got a couple of those high end guys that are super smart and they can score so they got a really good team,” he said.

Despite a calm and cool demeanor, the excitement of the moment isn’t lost on the team, in particular Hunter St. Martin.

“The first couple of nights after we beat Lethbridge there I was just pumped for the next one, just you could barely sleep.”

“I’ve definitely calmed down by now but it’s just absolutely a dream come true and it’s super exciting but the dream is to lift that thing [the Ed Chynowyth Cup] and that’s the focus.”

That excitement has been echoed in the fan support around the team, a bunch of whom showed up in droves to Co-op Place Monday morning to secure their tickets for the WHL Finals.

A bunch of those same fans showed up to Co-op Place last week to send the team off, ahead of Games 3 and 4 in Lethbridge.

St. Martin’s father Blair played for the Tigers has been blown away by the city’s support.

“I cannot forget about the fans. That send-off everyone showing up and cheering you on, the firefighters, the police officers, everyone…that is something I’ve never experienced before and it’s just – you have so much pride in that jersey now and the whole city is behind you.”

“It’s unbelievable and we couldn’t thank them more for that…it helps us so much,” he added.

Tickets for Games 1 and 2 went on sale at noon on Monday — and almost immediately sold out.

by Will Bryant

Medicine Hat Tigers embrace ‘brotherhood’ ahead of first WHL Finals appearance since 2007

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