Playoff Series Preview – Round 3 Vs Lethbridge

Calgary, AB. –  And then there were four.

 

With a 3-1 win to eliminate the Calgary Hitmen on Wednesday night, the Lethbridge Hurricanes have become the final team to advance to the Conference Championships in the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien.

 

The stage is set for a Central Division showdown in the East. The top-ranked Medicine Hat Tigers have been patiently awaiting their next opponent after completing a sweep of the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday, April 17.

 

The Central Division champion Tigers (47-17-3-1, 98 points) went 5-3-0-0 against the Hurricanes (42-21-3-2, 89 points) in the regular season.

 

In the playoffs, Tigers star Gavin McKenna has put on a masterclass with six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in nine matches – including a showstopping dangle on home ice and a road lacrosse goal that have garnered goal of the year chatter.

 

The projected top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft ranks third in the WHL in playoff points-per-game with 2.44, trailing only his fellow WHL Player of the Year nominees, Andrew Cristall and Berkly Catton from the Spokane Chiefs.

 

On the Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and WHL Defenceman of the Year nominee Noah Chadwick has captained his team to its first Eastern Conference Championship appearance since 2018 with six goals (including a game-winner) and six assists for 12 points in 12 games.

 

The Tabbies last made it to the  Conference Championship in 2014.

 

Medicine Hat and Lethbridge last battled in the 2017 WHL Playoffs, when the Canes dispatched the Tigers in Game 7 of their second-round series, which featured a game-tying goal from Ottawa Senators forward Dylan Cozens, whose younger brother, Luke Cozens, is currently playing for Lethbridge.

 

Game 1 is set for Friday, April 25, at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat.

 

The series moves west to the Bridge City for Game 3 on Tuesday, April 29.

 

Fans can stream the Eastern Conference Championship for free on Victory+.

 

By The Numbers

Regular Season

Record

• Medicine Hat
  • Overall – 47-17-3-1
    • League – 2nd
    • Eastern Conference – 1st
    • Central Division – 1st
  • Home – 25-7-2-0 (4th)
  • Away – 22-10-1-1 (3rd)
• Lethbridge
  • Overall – 42-21-3-2
    • League – 6th
    • Eastern Conference – 4th
    • Central Division – 3rd
  • Home – 25-7-2-0 (5th)
  • Away – 17-14-1-2 (8th)

 

Leading Scorers

• Medicine Hat
  • Gavin McKenna – 56 GP – 41 G – 88 A – 129 PTS
  • Oasiz Wiesblatt – 66 GP – 36 G – 67 A – 103 PTS
  • Ryder Ritchie – 53 GP – 29 G – 32 A – 61 PTS
• Lethbridge
  • Brayden Yager – 54 GP – 25 G – 57 A – 82 PTS
  • Brayden Edwards – 65 GP – 31 G – 46 A – 77 PTS
  • Logan Wormald – 57 GP – 30 G – 40 A – 70 PTS

 

Goaltenders

• Medicine Hat
  • Harrison Meneghin – 36 GP – 23-10-1-1 – 2.58 GAA – .900 Save %
  • Jordan Switzer – 32 GP – 23-6-2-0 – 2.65 GAA – .901 Save %
• Lethbridge
  • Jackson Unger – 54 GP – 26-18-5-2 – 3.15 GAA – .899 Save %
  • Koen Cleaver – 22 GP – 12-9-0-0 – 3.23 GAA – .892 Save %

 

Special Teams

• Power Play
  • Medicine Hat – 67/240 – 27.9% (4th)
  • Lethbridge – 62/246 – 25.2% (7th)
• Penalty Kill
  • Medicine Hat – 212/265 – 80.0% (4th)
  • Lethbridge – 198/241 – 82.2% (1st)

 

Head-To-Head

Record

• Medicine Hat – 5-3-0-0
  • Home – 4-0-0-0
  • Away – 1-3-0-0
• Lethbridge – 3-4-1-0
  • Home – 3-0-1-0
  • Away – 0-4-0-0

 

Games This Season

• Medicine Hat 6 @ Lethbridge 7 (Nov 6 2024)
• Medicine Hat 3 @ Lethbridge 4 (Dec 6 2024)
• Lethbridge 2 @ Medicine Hat 3 (Dec 14 2024)
• Medicine Hat 1 @ Lethbridge 4 (Dec 15 2024)
• Lethbridge 0 @ Medicine Hat 4 (Dec 28 2024)
• Lethbridge 1 @ Medicine Hat 5 (Feb 17 2025)
• Medicine Hat 6 @ Lethbridge 5 (Mar 14 2025)
• Lethbridge 1 @ Medicine Hat 10 (Mar 22 2025)

 

Leading Scorers

• Medicine Hat
  • Gavin McKenna– 5 GP – 5 G – 11 A – 16 PTS
  • Oasiz Wiesblatt – 8 GP – 7 G – 8 A – 15 PTS
  • Hunter St. Martin – 8 GP – 6 G – 4 A – 10 PTS
• Lethbridge
  • Noah Chadwick – 8 GP – 4 G – 4 A – 8 PTS
  • Kooper Gizowski – 8 GP – 3 G – 5 A – 8 PTS
  • Logan Wormald – 6 GP – 2 G – 6 A – 8 PTS

 

Goaltenders

• Medicine Hat
  • Harrison Meneghin – 4 GP – 3-1-0-0 – 3.50 GAA – .861 Save %
  • Jordan Switzer – 3 GP – 2-1-0-0 – 2.03 GAA – .929 Save %
  • Zach Zahara – 1 GP – 0-1-0-0 – 4.00 GAA – .871 Save %
• Lethbridge
  • Koen Cleaver – 4 GP – 1-3-0-0 – 5.09 GAA – .845 Save %
  • Brady Smith – 1 GP – 0-0-0-0 – 11.88 GAA – .688 Save %
  • Jackson Unger – 4 GP – 2-1-1-0 – 3.72 GAA – .878 Save %

 

Special Teams

• Power Play
  • Medicine Hat – 10/31 – 32.3%
  • Lethbridge – 9/36 – 25.0%
• Penalty Kill
  • Medicine Hat – 27/36 – 75.0%
  • Lethbridge – 21/31 – 67.7%

 

Series Schedule

Game	Visitor		Home	Date	Time (MST)
1	Lethbridge	@	Medicine Hat	Friday, April 25	7:00 PM
2	Lethbridge	@	Medicine Hat	Saturday, April 26	7:00 PM
3	Medicine Hat	@	Lethbridge	Tuesday, April 29	7:00 PM
4	Medicine Hat	@	Lethbridge	Wednesday, April 30	7:00 PM
5*	Lethbridge	@	Medicine Hat	Friday, May 2	7:00 PM
6*	Medicine Hat	@	Lethbridge	Saturday, May 3	7:00 PM
7*	Lethbridge	@	Medicine Hat	Tuesday, May 6	7:00 PM

*- If necessary