The second half of Sportsnet’s Friday Night Hockey double-header features a rematch of the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup final between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Vancouver Giants.
The Giants are still finding their way in the post-Don Hay era. A 28-game trial run with former AHL coach Troy Ward came to an abrupt end at the end of November with the hiring of former Winnipeg Jets bench boss Claude Noel. Since Noel has taken over, the Giants have points in 10 of 12 games.
Vancouver is building around 2016 draft-eligible Tyler Benson, who has battled inconsistency but remains one of the WHL’s top rookie scorers. At times, Benson will bring you out of your seat with his immense talent. The Giants will likely welcome back Ty Ronning to the lineup, who has yet to play a regular season game in 2014-15. Rookie Cody Porter has unseated veteran Payton Lee in goal, and has played well with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage in three January games.
The Tigers continue to do it year-and-year out thanks in large part to a system employed by head coach/GM Shaun Clouston, a Willie Desjardins protégé, who has mastered the dual role. Clouston is a good recruiter who demands the most from his players. Medicine Hat never re-builds, they just re-load. They’re led offensively by the dynamic duo of Trevor Cox and Cole Sanford, who have been amongst the WHL’s scoring leaders all season.
The Tigers work extremely hard, they’re difficult to play against and their teams are often fast and skilled. Not many CHL teams get more out of their over-age players on a regular basis than Medicine Hat.
In goal, it’s the final season for sensational import Marek Langhamer, who is part of a dying breed as European goaltenders have been banned from being drafted into the CHL. Langhamer continues to be a steadying force for the Tigers, who are a perennial playoff team.
Due to bad weather, the Tigers were supposed to be sitting comfortably in Vancouver awaiting Friday night’s game, but instead were forced to play in Victoria last night as the makeup date, but a win’s a win, and the Tigers will take it.
Be sure to check out the latest in our #WhatToWin campaign.
Medicine Hat Tigers — 28-9-1-1 (11-5-0-1 Road), 4W (First in Central Division, Second in Eastern Conference ) Seventh BMO CHL Top 10
Individual Stats
In Goal
NHL Drafted/Signed Players
Tommy Vannelli (St. Louis Blue, 47th in 2013)
Tyler Lewington (Washington Capitals, 204th in 2013)
Kyle Burroughs (New York Islander, 196th in 2013)
Marek Langhamer (Arizona Coyotes, 184th in 2012)
NHL Central Scouting
PTW C
Matt Bradley
Nick Schneider
Dryden Hunt
Under The Radar
Markus Eisenshmid — The German world junior was limited to just 16 games before heading to Montreal, but had 18 points in those games. He adds scoring depth to a team that that just acquired two offensive players from Regina.
Vancouver Giants — 18-20-1-1 (14-8-0-0 Home) 2L, (Fourth in B.C. Division, Ninth in Eastern Conference)
Individual Stats
In Goal
NHL Drafted/Signed Players
Mason Geertsen (Colorado Avalanche, 93rd in 2013)
Jackson Houck (Vancouver Canucks, 94th in 2013)
NHL Central Scouting
PTW C
Dimitry Osipov
Vladimir Bobylev
Alec Baer
Under The Radar
Thomas Foster — Same mannerisms on the ice as his brother T.J., Foster is skilled offensively and plays with some bite in his game.
