Cubs getting into playoff mindset as regular season draws to a close

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Cubs are starting to ramp up as the regular season winds down.

The Cubs split the fourth last weekend of the HJHL’s regular season, with a 4-1 loss Friday at Okotoks to the Bisons before getting back in the win column with a 5-2 victory Sunday at the Kinplex over the Coaldale Copperheads.

The win snapped a mini two-game losing streak for the Cubs, only the second time this season they’ve had back-to-back losses. The two points from the win also distanced themselves by two points with two games in hand on the Copperheads for second in the South division, which would give them a first round bye come playoff time.

Head coach Randy Wong says they haven’t talked about losing as a team because they’ve handled it well and because they frankly haven’t dropped many games, with a 22-5-4 record on the season. He liked how his team handled themselves against Coaldale.

“It’s looking more and more like this could be a second-round matchup, so the fight to get home ice between these two clubs is evident,” Wong said. “That’s where you have to make sure you still do the right things. You always have to keep trying to put doubt in their minds that they can win a game against us. That’s the importance, really, of (Sunday) is making sure they don’t have any thoughts of getting into the game and trying to win and stealing two points.”

Kyle Woolridge had a goal and two assists in Sunday’s win with both Hayden King and Josh Aitken adding a goal and an assist each. Callan Prosofsky and Caleb Garrecht each found the back of the net, Jamal Shaw had three assists and Tyler Wakelam made 34 saves.

Woolridge scored Medicine Hat’s lone goal in Friday’s loss to the HJHL leading Bisons, Wakelam had 24 saves.

The Cubs are on the road tonight to face the Bisons in a makeup game. They host the Copperheads on Feb. 3 and head to High River on Sunday to face the Flyers. With seven games remaining on their schedule and the desirable playoff spots still up for grabs, Wong says he’s looking for his team to execute and make the right play as they look to wrap up that playoff bye.

“We talk a lot about making the right hockey play, and so understanding what that play is,” Wong said. “It’s as simple as getting the puck out of your zone, start using the boards, as simple as gaining the red line and getting it deep right. When you are in control of every little play, that’s what wins playoff hockey. Your little battles along the boards, if you can win those battles, those breed championship hockey.

“So trying to look out for all the little small details, the systems really don’t change much, we’re just trying to fine tune it and making sure everybody’s kind of ready. Right now we’ve got a few injuries, we have some suspensions. So it’s about trying to get through that little stretch where we’re missing some bodies in the lineup. So that’s key for us in the last seven games.”