Tian Rask had 30 points in 30 games over the regular season and playoffs with Melfort (Facebook/Broad Leaf Media)

By Mat Barrett

Rask Commits

‘We had a lot of fun’: Rask commits to UBC

May 8, 2020 | 3:00 PM

Another Melfort Mustang graduate has committed to play post-secondary hockey for the 2020/2021 season.

Forward Tian Rask has committed to play for the University of British Columbia in USports for the coming season. Rask said there were a few schools he spoke with, including some in the NCAA. But with the uncertainty of COVID-19 and his draw to UBC, he felt it best to stick North of the 49th parallel.

“The campus is right on the coast there in Vancouver. It’s a beautiful spot,” he said. “They also gave me a pretty good package with some money towards my schooling so that was another part of it.”

Rask added even though he won’t be going to the NCAA, he believes the hockey in USports is just as good.

The Saskatoon native joined the Melfort Mustangs at the December 1 roster deadline in a trade with the Canmore Eagles. Rask was the captain of the Eagles to start the season and was in his third season there. He was also the assistant captain for the 2018/2019 season.

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In 136 regular season games in Canmore, Rask tallied 40 goals and 57 assists for 97 points. He added six points in 11 playoff games, but he and the Eagles struggled a bit out of the gate, leading to changes in Canmore. Rask also had some close connection with the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 as he was a call up for the Broncos for seven games between the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons.

I “just wanted to come home and kind of honour them and finish out in Saskatchewan,” Rask told northeastNOW. “Melfort was a pretty good spot for that and we had a lot of fun.”

Rask added winning in Alberta is hard since teams like the Brooks Bandits always seem to dominate. He said it was nice to come to a team that had a shot to win, however that changed as COVID-19 stopped the Saskatchewan Hockey League (SJHL) playoffs. The SJHL then took things virtual with its simulation of the playoffs, something Rask has been following.

“I knew when I came to Melfort that they had a good strong group here and they have a chance to make a run for it and win,” he said. “Which it looks like we’re going to do here in the simulation.”

The Mustangs defeated the Flin Flon Bombers in six games in the simulation to punch their ticket to the finals.

Rask blossomed in Melfort and became a go-to player for Head Coach Trevor Blevins. Rask got plenty of minutes in all situations and went on to score 12 goals and add 16 assists for 28 points in 26 regular season games. He said after scoring in his first few games in Melfort, his confidence came back, something that also came while playing with guys like Kenzie Arnold, Kyle Bosch and Austin Nault.

On top of personal success, the team also went on a run, especially late in the season after some struggles in January. The Mustangs went on to win eight of their final nine games of the season, vaulting them to third place in the SJHL. Rask said it’s his favourite memory from his junior hockey career.

“The winning attitude that everyone brought to the rink after we got on a little streak there, it was like we couldn’t be beat,” he said. “And then obviously the fun that you have when you’re winning, coach is happy, boys are happy, everyone’s having fun.”

Rask’s style of play is a hard-nosed one. In just 26 games in Melfort, he racked up 114 penalty minutes. He said going to UBC won’t change his role much, but he is going to have to adjust a bit.

“Well I don’t think I’ll be fighting out there, that’s for sure,” _{-Tian Rask on how his game will translate to USports}

“But I think I can be a guy kind of on the third or fourth line maybe who’s going to be mucking it up and getting under guys’ skin while playing on the edge, not taking penalties.” he said. “I think that’s when I’m playing my best hockey is when I’m on the edge.”

Rask was known for getting under the opponents skin while with the Mustangs. He had 114 penalty minutes in 26 games. (Facebook/Broad Leaf Media)

In some talks with coaches, Rask said he’s likely to get a lot of playing time in his first season there.

Rask is planning to start by taking Arts and Science at UBC, but will then transfer into the Business program there, which is one of the best in North America.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6