Tigers sweep Hurricanes, advance to 2025 WHL Championship Series

Lethbridge, Alta.- The Medicine Hat Tigers are four wins away from Western Hockey League glory.

The Tigers held off a Hurricanes comeback attempt to seal a 5-3 win to sweep Lethbridge in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Championship.

Lethbridge opened the scoring on home ice, but the Tabbies roared back with four straight goals, including a pair from veteran forward Mathew Ward.

The Kamloops, B.C. product tied the game with a shorthanded strike midway through the first period before netting the series-winner on the powerplay in the middle frame.

WHL Player of the Year nominee Gavin McKenna also extended his astounding point streak to a modern CHL record 52 games.

This marks the seventh time in franchise history that the Tigers have moved on to the Championship Series and the first time since 2007, when the Tabbies won it all in an epic seven-game showdown against the Vancouver Giants.

Medicine Hat is now 22-1 going back to February 21, 2025, during the regular season.

The Central Division champions dominated in Games 1 and 2 on home ice with 5-2 and 7-2 results before pulling off a thrilling overtime comeback in Game 3 on the road. The Tigers erased a three-goal deficit and tied the game twice more before Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt potted the overtime goal to give his side a commanding 3-0 series lead.

McKenna paced his team with 12 points (2G-10A) in the Conference Championship, while 2025 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Bryce Pickford was just behind with nine points (4G-5A) and Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk ripped it up with eight points (1G-7A).

Reigning Pharmasave WHL Goaltender of the Week Harrison Meneghin remains undefeated in the postseason with a 10-0-0-0 record, 2.43 goals-against average, .889 save percentage and two shutouts.

The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect was lights out in the Eastern Conference Championship with a 4-0-0-0 record, a 3.19 goals-against average and a .852 save percentage.

Medicine Hat holds an all-time record of 5-1 in the final round, most recently lifting the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2007.

The Tigers have also gone on to win the Memorial Cup twice (1987, 1988). They remain one of only five teams to record back-to-back Memorial Cup wins since 1972, an impressive group that includes the New Westminster Bruins (1977-78), the QMJHL’s Cornwall Royals (1980-81), Kamloops Blazers (1994-95) and Windsor Spitfires (2009-10).

Medicine Hat awaits the winner of the Western Conference Championship, where the Spokane Chiefs currently hold a 2-0 lead against the Portland Winterhawks.