Tigers, Giants playing for pride

The Medicine Hat Tigers and Vancouver Giants still have to play for a Western Hockey League title before they get to the Memorial Cup.

Both teams already have berths in the Canadian Hockey League championship later this month. Vancouver is in as the host team, so Medicine Hat will get in as either WHL champs or runners-up.

But Tigers captain Kris Russell doesn’t expect either team to let up on the other starting with tonight’s Game 1 in Medicine Hat.

“Everyone knows we’re in the Memorial Cup, but once that puck drops those teams are going to want to get in the right way and earn their spot in,” Russell said.

“Both teams are proud enough teams that they’re going to do whatever they can to get a championship for their clubs. It comes down to who wants it more and who is willing to battle that much harder.”

The Giants, who are the defending WHL champs, have known all season they’d be playing in the Memorial Cup in May, yet head coach Don Hay never let them off the hook and had them competing all season like a team fighting for their playoff lives.

Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins says his team has to take a page out of its opponent’s book and ignore the fact it will be playing for a bigger prize later.

“You have to look at Vancouver. They’ve played all playoffs knowing that and if they’ve done it, why can’t we do it?” he said. “It’s the same for both teams. I think when it gets right down to it, both teams don’t want to lose.”

The Giants have 11 players on their roster who won last year’s title and finished third at the Memorial Cup.

Vancouver can become the first team to win consecutive WHL titles since the Kamloops Blazers did it in 1994-95 with Hay has their head coach.

“There’s not many teams who do it because it is a hard thing to do,” Hay said.

The clubs split their two meetings this season with Vancouver winning 5-4 in overtime in Medicine Hat back in November and the visiting Tigers prevailing 3-2 in January.

The Tigers are smaller, quick and tenacious, while the Giants wear teams down with their size and strength.

“We’ve had pretty good success playing the physical brand throughout the playoffs,” Hay said.

Vancouver acquired sniper Wacey Rabbit at the trade deadline and power forward Kenndal McArdle, a member of Canada’s junior team, earlier in the season. It took a while for those players to mesh with the Giants, but they have made an impact in the playoffs.

Rabbit was named MVP of Vancouver’s last series against Prince George, while McArdle has 10 goals in 15 playoff games.

Czech Michal Repik, Spencer Machacek and Milan Lucic are also among Vancouver’s weapons.

The Giants are formidable on the back end with Cody Franson, another Canadian junior team player, fleet-footed Brendan Mikkelson and captain Brett Festerling limiting shots on goaltender Tyson Sexsmith.

Sexsmith had a shaky start to the postseason, but rallied and boasts a 1.81 goals-against average in the playoffs.

Tigers counterpart and Calgary Flames prospect Matt Keetley has also been up to the task with a .910 save percentage in the face of almost 400 shots in the playoffs.

Medicine Hat spreads the bulk of its offence between Darren Helm, property of the Detroit Red Wings, Derek Dorsett, Brennan Bosch, Chris Stevens and defenseman Russell, named the WHL’s best player earlier this week.

Russell, a defenceman, is particularly dangerous on the power play with 22 goals in the regular season.

The best-of-seven series opens with two games in Medicine Hat, followed by three in Vancouver and finishing up with two in Medicine Hat if necessary.

“With a two-three-two series, it’s definitely key we get a couple wins in our rink and really challenge and go after them,” Russell said.