MEDICINE HAT, AB — It didn’t take Mads Sogaard long to fall in love with the Canadian glory which is Tim Horton’s.
“The chicken wraps,” laughed the Danish netminder, drafted in the first round of the CHL Import Draft a few months ago. “They’re perfect.”
It sounds like more chicken wraps are on the horizon, too.
Sogaard, a 6’7″ tower of a goaltender, is one of three netminders expected to pipe-guard the Medicine Hat Tigers for the opening weekend of the 2018-19 WHL regular season.
He joins fellow rookie Garin Bjorklund, a first round bantam draft pick from 2017, and front-man Jordan Hollett, who rejoined the team this week after a brief stint at Ottawa Senators training camp.
“Everyone has been so nice to me,” said Sogaard. “It’s been an easy transition to get along with the guys, it’s been nice.”
One can expect 19-year-old Hollett, who went 16-13-4-0 in 33 starts last year, will get the nod for the Tabbies season opener Friday in Lethbridge. As for whether Sogaard or Bjorklund will also dress remains unclear. Head coach Shaun Clouston will make that decision later this week.
Both newcomers seem fit to task. Sogaard and Bjorklund partnered last Saturday’s shutout in Red Deer; a 3-0 victory to wrap up preseason play.
“It was definitely nice to get a win, and to show the coaches and teammates that they can win with me,” continued Sogaard, who made 21 saves after taking over from Bjorklund’s 13 stops in the first half of the game. “It was needed for me to get a win, especially late in the preseason.”
It was by far Sogaard’s best performance in a Tigers sweater. In his two previous exhibition games, number 30 allowed a combined eight goals on 52 shots. Five of those goals came on Sept. 7, playing all 60 minutes in a 5-3 loss in Moose Jaw. Four of those five tallies came while short-handed.
“We were really putting shots on net,” continued Sogaard on his team’s performance against Red Deer. “It really helped out. Their goalie played well as well, but at the end we had around 40-plus shots. We got two on him and then an empty netter, and that was enough to get the win.”
With the Tigers set to begin the regular season, the importance of each game increases drastically. The pace of play is also sure to increase, knowing one costly mistake could mean the difference between a win and a loss.
If Sogaard’s progression through the preseason is any indication of how he’ll fair, he shouldn’t have any issue adjusting accordingly.
“It’s a very high-paced game here,” he added. “Everyone is a very good skater. I feel like after a month now, I’m used to it and I feel confident. I feel like I can play here.”
