Taking a skate at the Arena in Medicine Hat

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Welcome to Medicine Hat. A sunny +1 greeted us today as we walked out of the hotel after spending the previous day driving 5 and a half hours on the bus from Edmonton. Twenty year-old Evan Bloodoff said it best, “this is the best breakfast of the season.” The team ate at a restaurant called ‘Houston’s Pizza’ and the meal was awesome. The best part about the breakfast was real eggs. If you’ve spent anytime eating out over the last couple of years you will know what I am talking about. The easiest way to produce a large quantity of eggs in the hotel/restaurant industry is to essentially boil a pre-made bag of them, which is no-where close to the real thing.

Tyrell Goulbourne has joined the team for the remainder of the trip, but it was learned today that he won’t be able to play. The 16 year-old was suspended for two games by his midget league for a hit to the head in a game he played Sunday before joining the team. Goulbourne will be relegated to practice sessions and sitting up in the press box during the final five days of the trip.

Now we know when Mitchell Callahan will be leaving the Rockets for the training camp of the USA World Junior Team tryout. Callahan will play Wednesday against Lethbridge and then will fly out of Calgary Thursday morning. Callahan will likely fly out with Medicine Hat’s Emerson Etem, who is also representing the WHL at the training camp.

The Rockets had an hour and a half skate at the Medicine Hat Arena this morning as they prepare for tomorrow night’s game against the Tigers. I love this arena. Sure it’s old and it shows its age, but the sight lines in here are amazing. It arguably has the best broadcast location in the league. It is close to the ice and is located essentially at centre ice.