SERIES PREVIEW: Prince Albert (4) vs. Medicine Hat (1)
Let’s get back to business.
The top-ranked Medicine Hat Tigers have been on break since dispatching the Swift Current Broncos in Game 5 last Friday, but they’ll be balancing rest and rust as they prepare to take on the East Division champion Prince Albert Raiders, who are riding the high of a dominant Game 7 decision against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
The Tabbies had the upper hand with a 3-0-1-0 record during the regular season, but two of those matches required extra time and featured hard-nosed, high-scoring showdowns.
WHL Player of the Year nominee Gavin McKenna hasn’t been held off the scoresheet since November of 2024 and has points in 45 straight games- including a league-leading 16 points (2G-14A) in the playoffs.
The projected top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft had two goals and five assists against the Raiders in the regular season, but he’s not the only weapon Prince Albert will need to shut down. Medicine Hat also boasts one of the season’s top goal-scorers in Oasiz Wiesblatt and the former Raider himself in Ryder Ritchie.
On the other side, offensive dynamo Lukas Dragicevic leads his team and sits second among all defencemen with 12 points (5G-7A). He’s second only to fellow Seattle Kraken prospect Tyson Jugnauth of the Portland Winterhawks.
Medicine Hat’s blueline is anchored by WHL Defenceman of the Year nominee and Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk, who had four regular-season assists against the rival Raiders.
Not to be outdone, WHL Rookie of the Year nominee Daxon Rudolph is also second among all defencemen in assists with nine.
Both netminders will need to be at their best, with WHL Goaltender of the Year nominee Max Hildebrand coming off a 30-save shutout to eliminate the Oil Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin slamming the door for a 21-save clean sheet in Game 1 against Swift Current.
This is the seventh time Prince Albert and Medicine Hat have clashed in the postseason, with the all-time record tied at three wins each.
Game 1 is set for Saturday, April 12 at Medicine Hat’s Co-op Place.
Things shift north to the formidable Art Hauser Centre for Game 3 on Wednesday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
All games will be streamed for free on Victory+.
STAT PACK
| Prince Albert Raiders | Medicine Hat Tigers | |
| Record | 39-23-5-1 (1st East) | 47-17-3-1 (1st Central) |
| Playoff Leaders | Lukas Dragicevic (5G-7A, 12 PTS)
Aiden Oiring (6G-5A, 11PTS) Daxon Rudolph (9A, PTS) |
Gavin McKenna (2G-14A, 16 PTS)
Oasiz Wiesblatt (7G-5A, 12 PTS) Ryder Ritchie (4G-4A, 8 PTS) |
| Season Leaders | Tomas Mrsic (33G-57A, 90 PTS)
Aiden Oiring (29G-56A, 85 PTS) Lukas Dragicevic (18G-52A, 70PTS) |
Gavin McKenna (41G-88A, 129 PTS)
Oasiz Wiesblatt (36G-67A, 103 PTS) Ryder Ritchie (29G-32A, 61 PTS) |
| Leading Goaltender (Playoffs) | Max Hildebrand (4-3-0-0, 2.02 GAA, .941 save percentage, one shutout) | Harrison Meneghin (4-0-0-0, 2.66 GAA, .886 save percentage, one shutout) |
| Power Play (Playoffs) | 33.3% (1st) | 25% (9th) |
| Penalty Kill (Playoffs) | 79.3% (6th) | 81.2% (5th) |
| First Round | Def. Edmonton (4-3) | Def. Swift Current (4-1) |
| Last WHL Championship | 2019 | 2007 |
2023-24 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Medicine Hat leads 3-0-1-0
November 20, 2024- Medicine Hat 3, Prince Albert 2 (OT)
January 8, 2025- Prince Albert 4, Medicine Hat 7
February 8, 2025- Prince Albert 5, Medicine Hat 4 (OT)
February 12, 2025- Medicine Hat 3, Prince Albert 1
GAME BREAKERS
Prince Albert: Never count out championship experience. Veteran Rilen Kovacevic came through when it mattered most for the Raiders in their first-round comeback with four goals and three assists. The 2024 Ed Chynoweth Cup winner, who was acquired by Prince Albert at the 2025 Trade Deadline, was in on all four Raiders goals (1G-3A) to force the pivotal game 7, where he added some insurance with the fifth goal of the night. The 20-year-old totaled four goals and three assists for seven points against the Tigers in six games split between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Prince Albert. He’s only been held off the scoresheet against the Tigers once this season and could continue to climb as he aims to extend his final WHL Playoff run.
Medicine Hat: Underestimate Ryder Ritchie at your own risk. The Minnesota Wild prospect has cemented his sniper status with a 29-goal regular season campaign that was shortened by injury, but has come back with a vengeance. He’s also got eight points (4G-4A) under his belt in the postseason, including the series-winning Game 5 goal against Swift Current in Round One. Of course, Ritchie began his WHL career in Prince Albert before an offseason trade last summer. He’s been effective against his former club with four points (2G-2A) in four games and looks to prove he can do it again in the postseason.
GOALTENDING
Prince Albert: WHL Goaltender of the Year nominee Max Hildebrand has blown his previous career totals out of the water in his third trip to the WHL Playoffs. After pitching a 30-save shutout to eliminate the Edmonton Oil Kings in Game 7, Hildebrand sits fourth among all goaltenders in goals-against average (2.02) and third in save percentage (.941) while making the second-most saves (222). The Eastern Conference First All-Star Team member was 1-2-1-0 against Medicine Hat in the regular season with a 4.21 GAA and .908 save percentage. He made a season-high 52 saves in a 3-2 OT loss to the Tigers on November 20 and allowed just one goal on a whopping 24 shots in a single period.
Medicine Hat: Here’s Harry! Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin is the reigning WHL Goaltender of the Month after going 8-0-0-0 through March. The 20-year-old picked up a shutout in his first WHL Playoff victory and hasn’t been defeated yet in the 2025 postseason. Meneghin hasn’t seen a ton of the Raiders this season. He left their first meeting with a lower-body injury that held him out of the lineup for more than a month, and he made 17 saves in an overtime loss to Prince Albert in February. Of course, the slate is wiped clean as the teams clash again with a shot at the Eastern Conference Championship on the line.
X-FACTOR
Prince Albert: Alternate captain Aiden Oiring has points in six straight games and leads his team with six postseason tallies. His six goals are tied for the third-most among all WHL skaters while his 11 points are tied for ninth. He’s rolling along at a comfy 1.57 points-per-game clip. Oiring, 19, also had a goal and two assists in four games against Medicine Hat in the regular season.
Medicine Hat: Tigers Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt’s final WHL season has been one for the books. After cracking the 100-point mark for the first time in the regular season, he’s tied with Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall for the postseason goals lead (7) and is tied for fifth in points (12). He’s yet to be held pointless in the playoffs and has goals in four games, highlighted by a hat trick in Game 1 against the Broncos and two game-winners. Wiesblatt had a goal and three assists for four points (and 12 PIMS) in three reulgar season tilts against the Raiders.
SERIES SCHEDULE
| Game | Visitor | Home | Day | Date | Time | |
| 1 | Prince Albert | @ | Medicine Hat | Saturday | April 12 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 2 | Prince Albert | @ | Medicine Hat | Sunday | April 13 | 6:00 p.m. MST |
| 3 | Medicine Hat | @ | Prince Albert | Wednesday | April 16 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 4 | Medicine Hat | @ | Prince Albert | Thursday | April 17 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 5* | Prince Albert | @ | Medicine Hat | Saturday | April 19 | 4:00 p.m. MST |
| 6* | Medicine Hat | @ | Prince Albert | Monday | April 21 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 7* | Prince Albert | @ | Medicine Hat | Wednesday | April 23 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
*- If necessary
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