Former Bisons enjoying WHL scene
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Photo Courtesy of Rob Wallator/Red Deer Rebels
The opening round of the Western Hockey League playoffs is officially in the books, one that contained a bevy of talent that used to perform at the Strathmore Family Centre.
The Red Deer Rebels shocked the WHL world by climbing into the final Central Division playoff spot after going through a regular season that saw them win two games from Oct. 29 to Jan. 20. Closing out the regular season strong, the Rebels entered the postseason as the hottest team in the league with a 17-6-2-0 record over their last 25 games.
Playing a big role in the turnaround was Mason McCarty, one of their alternate captains playing in his final season, poured in 38 goals, 36 assists and 74 points in his most productive season that saw him double his point total from the year prior with the Saskatoon Blades.
“It’s been quite the journey, especially this year,” said McCarty. “We have had a lot of ups and downs; there were some tough days coming to the rink at times, but I learned that you just have to battle through and keep a level head.”
As a result of their turnaround, the Rebels drew the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the first round best-of-seven series.
The Hurricanes and former Bison Zachary Cox blitzed the Rebels in the first two games, picking up 6-0 and 8-3 wins at the Enmax Centre.
The Rebels forced overtime in a critical Game 3 at the Enmax Centrium in Red Deer, but eventually fell 5-4. Bouncing back and giving the home crowd something to cheer about, the Rebels picked up the 5-2 decision in Game 4.
Back in Lethbridge for Game 5, the comeback attempt by the Rebels fell short as the Hurricanes eliminated the Rebels with a 6-4 win.
“I was happy to finally make the playoffs. It felt like a reward for all the work I put in and it was a good battle. We played them tough and I think the series could have went either way,” said McCarty, a Blackie product, who now has to decide to chase a pro career or take the college route.
Cox didn’t have to wait as long as McCarty to get a taste of the postseason. He now advances to the second round for a tilt with the Brandon Wheat Kings, who are fresh off of knocking out a pair of former Bisons.
Cole Clayton was in his first season with the Medicine Hat Tigers and Gary Haden completed up his second full season with the club, but both players were making their playoff debut.
Last season, the Tigers won the Central, but left Haden off their postseason roster, opting to go with seven defencemen and 11 forwards.
This year, Haden forced the club to include him after he piled up 17 goals and 25 assists in 70 games, shattering his previous career highs.
“I learned a lot from sitting in the press box for those two series last year,” said Haden. “I saw that the game can swing at any given time and that teams are never out of it in this league.”
Dressing with the Tigers in the first-round tilt with the Wheaties, Haden banged in a pair of goals in six games.
Unfortunately, despite taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, the Wheat Kings stormed back and eliminated the Central champion Tigers in overtime of Game 6.
“I thought we played really well all series,” said Haden. “It just goes to show that no matter where you go in this league, teams and players are really good.”
After only scoring a pair of goals in 56 regular season outings, Clayton popped in the Tigers second goal of the playoffs when he banged home a loose puck at the top of the slot in Game 1.
Barrett Sheen was a member of the Bisons that attended the Telus Cup and appeared in 42 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors this season after being acquired in a trade from the Kootenay Ice.
The Warriors, who went the entire regular season as one of the top-ranked teams in the nation, suffered a scare if the first round, when the second wildcard Prince Albert Raiders held a pair of leads in Game 7. But the Warriors proved they could not be stopped and battled back to win the decisive game 5-4 and have advanced to face the Swift Current Broncos.
Sheen might have been held off the score sheet in the first round, but after 167 career games over four seasons with three different clubs, he now has 17 goals and 51 points under his belt.
The 16-year-old Tarun Fizer experienced a Game 7 of his own with the high-flying Victoria Royals. Fizer scored his first career playoff goal in a Game 2 win over the Vancouver Giants. His Royals now advance to take on the Tri-City Americans.
All of the WHL playoffs can be followed on WHL.ca or the dubnetwork.ca.