Medicine Hat Tigers host Victoria Royals for only meeting of season

“They went from kind of floundering with the intentions to compete but not necessarily a competitive roster was kind of a belief from the outside and they brought in James Patrick to take over head coach and general manager duties last year,” he added.

“He quickly got this club playing winning hockey.”

Bryant says the team has some great talent.

“Cole Reschny who’s not going to be in the lineup tonight for Victoria that’s a big loss they’re leading score out tonight,” Bryant said.

“You’ll see guys like Keaton Verhoeff a young offensive defenseman on the back end, he’s six-foot-four 16-years old just captained Team Canada White to a gold medal, the same team Canada that the Rucks were on at the under 17s,” he added.

“It’s going to be an exciting game and a big loss for the Royals not having Reschny tonight but a big I guess boost for Medicine Hat not having to faceoff against one of the best young players in the league.”

Reschny was taken third overall in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, the same draft the Tigers took Gavin McKenna first overall.

Sitting at 49 goals on his career, Gavin McKenna could hit another milestone Friday night, after hitting the 150 point and 100 assist mark on his career.

“Gavin McKenna he is the best player in Canadian junior hockey right now he leads all of the CHL in scoring 39 points on the year,” Bryant said.

“He’s an incredible player and I mean if he hits that tonight great he didn’t hit it the other night and had two assists right so it’s not like if he doesn’t hit it it would be a poor performance from Gav he leads the team in shots,” he added.

“Last I checked he led the Western League in shots, so he’s putting a lot of pucks on net and when Gavin McKenna shoots there’s a decent chance it goes in.”

A familiar former Tigers player will make his return to the city with Brayden Boehm in the Royals lineup.

“I had the chance to speak to him last night, very fired up I think he’s going to come out and play as hard a game as he can and I expect the Tigers to be prepared for that,” Bryant said.

“There’s a lot of guys that Boehm is still really good friends with so their friends off the ice will not be friends on the ice tonight.”

Confirmed back in the lineup Friday returning from injury are both defencemen Josh Van Mulligen and forward Ryder Ritchie.

The newest Tiger forward Ethan Neutens acquired in a trade along with a pair of draft picks for defencemen Nate Corbet, isn’t expected in the lineup for tonight.

In support of the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society fans are asked to bring toys in to donate at tonights game.

Puck drop at Co-op Place will be at 7 p.m.

Will Bryant and Lance Doll will be on the radio broadcast at Wild 94.5 starting at 6:30 p.m.

by Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat Tigers host Victoria Royals for only meeting of season

Our Community