GAME 1 AT SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS
THE STORY COMING IN
The Medicine Hat Tigers will open their 52nd season in the Western Hockey League with a home and home series against the Swift Current Broncos, in Swift Current. Medicine Hat finished the 2020-21 season with a record of 14-8-0-1, good enough for 2nd place in the WHL’s Central Division.The Tigers see a number of familiar faces return to the lineup such as veteran Corson Hopwo, who is back for his final season in the WHL after leading the Tigers in scoring last season, washington Capitals draft picks Garin Bjorklund and Dru Krebs, as well as Lukas Svejkovsky who recently returned from Pittsburgh’s camp. The Orange and Black will also have 13 sophomores and 5 rookies on the roster on opening night.
TIGERS VS BRONCOS
These two teams last met in the regular season on March 3, 2020, just before COVID-19 shut down the season. The Tigers came away 5-2 winners in that affair, and 5-0-0-1 vs the Broncos in the 2019-20 season. The Broncos and the Tigers didn’t play each other last season due to COVID-19 Protocols. Medicine Hat is 10-3-0-1 vs the Broncos in the last 5 years
SWIFT CURRENT
The Broncos finished the 2020-2021 season with a record of 6-16-2-0. The Broncos will look to second year forward Mathew Ward (6G, 16A) to help continue to build Swift Current’s program. Between the pipes Isaac Poulter will be heavily relied upon to stop pucks and give the Broncos chances to win games.
WHO TO WATCH – TIGERS
Lukas Sjevkovsky, Dru Krebs and Garin Bjorklund have all returned to the Tigers from NHL camps and are looking to push their games to the next level this season. Svejkovksy, the highly skilled sniper from Point Roberts, Washington was tied for 2nd in goals on the team last season with 12 in 20 games. Dru Krebs does all the little things right and is a pillar on the blue line for the Tabbies. Krebs can take care of the d-zone as well as move the puck up ice very quickly. After taking over the starters role last season, Garin Bjorklund has shown he is not only a top quality tender, he is also one of the best the league has to offer. Bjorklund went 10-7-0-1 last season with a 2.60 GAA and a 0.921 SV%
WHO TO WATCH – BRONCOS
The Broncos Mathew Ward will be looking to build off a successful rookie campaign. The 5’8 forward from Kamloops BC produced at an almost point per game pace last season, scoring 6 goals and adding 16 assists in his first full season in the Western Hockey League. He picked up where he left off this preseason having scored one goal and five assists in four games.
Quick Hits
- Forward Lukas Svejkovksy was drafted in the 4th round, 108th overall in the 2020 NHL entry draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- Goaltender Garin Bjorklund was selected in the 6th round, 179th overall in the 2020 NHL entry draft by the Washington Capitals.
- Defenceman Dru Krebs was selected in the 6th round, 176th overall in the 2021 NHL draft entry draft by the Washington Capitals.
About the Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) who play out of Medicine Hat, AB and were established in 1970. In 51 seasons of playing major junior hockey, the Tigers have won 2 Scotty Munro Memorial Trophies, as well as, 212 playoff games which led to winning 43 playoff series, raising 33 banners, winning five Ed Chynoweth Cups and two Memorial Cups.
