Clayton, Baker pair seeing results
They may only have a combined 103 games between them, but Cole Clayton and Daniel Baker have been playing like veterans to start the Western Hockey League season.
The two Medicine Hat Tigers blueliners have filled the second defensive pairing ever since the overage cutdown and they seem to be building some steam on the back end over the past few games.
“I think they benefit from each other,” said Tigers assistant coach Ryan Smith. “They seem to have a good relationship back there and they’ve played some real good hockey as of late. They’ve been pretty solid throughout the year.”
The duo’s shared role has intensified over the past week with fellow defencemen Joel Craven and Trevor Longo missing from the lineup with upperbody injuries, and they’ve been putting up impressive results in the face of added responsibility and adversity.
“Obviously we hope they return pretty soon here, maybe this weekend,” said Baker, a 17year-old Edmonton product. “But it’s been a lot of minutes for us and I’m just trying to take advantage of it.”
Clayton netted his first goal of the season last Wednesday against the Red Deer Rebels then added assists in each of the next two games to carry a three-game point streak into the weekend. Baker posted his first two assists of the year over the last four contests.
“I think we play a pretty similar game and it’s a lot of fun playing with him. He controls the play really well and makes it easy for me so I really enjoy it,” said Baker, who played in 11 games last season. “It’s been great, especially even the last few games. He’s just really taken off.”
Clayton says both he and Baker were beginning to feel the frustrations from being held pointless through their first dozen games, but faith in the process started yielding results.
“We were kind of both down on ourselves,” said Clayton. “Finally things just started to click. It’s nice to be out there when the other guy gets a point because you’re just as happy for him as he is when you get one.”
Baker and Clayton share a similar style as puck-moving defencemen, and Smith says their simple yet intelligent approach to the game has been paying off.
“Cole’s been really good. He’s been solid. He’s played all different situations for us this year. He’s had a little bit of offence, he’s added to his game a little bit of patience with the puck. I think him and Baker compliment each other well. They’re the same type of player,” said Smith. “They’ve got their head up when they’ve got the puck, both can get pucks through from the point and that’s how they’re generating the offence. They’re keeping their head up, getting pucks through and we’ve got guys going to the net.”
It’s been an interesting transition for Clayton, who spent the majority of last season as a rookie alongside veteran Dalton Gally before shouldering the veteran presence alongside Baker to start the year, but the 18-year-old Strathmore product says strong communication has allowed them both to thrive within their expanded roles.
“Baker is more of a quiet guy, so I’d say I’m probably the more vocal guy on the ice, but he’s really good at calling for pucks,” said Clayton. “I think he’s handled the big responsibility of playing top-four minutes really well.
“He’s helped me out a lot this year.”
The Tigers hit the ice at the Scotiabank Saddledome Friday at 7 p.m. before closing out a home-and-home set against the Calgary Hitmen Sunday in Medicine Hat at 6 p.m.
“It’s been great, especially even the last few games.”
– Daniel Baker