WHL Morning Skate: April 27

NEED TO KNOW

– Gavin McKenna’s five-assist night has seen him take sole possession of the CHL’s longest point streak (including playoffs) of the 21st century with points in 51 straight games

– Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin remains undefeated in the postseason with a league-leading 1.93 goals-against average

– Spokane and Portland return to the ice for Game 2 of the Western Conference Championship on Sunday night

– Spokane’s Andrew Cristall and Portland’s Kyle Chyzowski have both hit 50 career playoff points

TOP PERFORMER- APRIL 26

Have a night, Bryce Pickford! The 2025 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman, who is ranked 100th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, posted his best-ever playoff outing in Game 2 with a pair of goals and two primary assists. Pickford made it 2-0 in the first period for Medicine Hat by grabbing a rebound in the slot and ripping it through traffic. The 6-foot, 190-pound right-shot defender flexed his impressive shot again on the powerplay with a wicked wrister from the right faceoff dot to make it a 5-0 game. Pickford, 19, served up helpers on rookie Liam Ruck and Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt’s powerplay goals to put the match out of reach for the Hurricanes. Pickford is up to five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 11 playoff games.

RESULTS

Lethbridge 2, Medicine Hat 7

Medicine Hat leads 2-0

The Tabbies hit the net seven times before Lethbridge could answer back in a dominant 7-2 showing in front of more than 5,000 fans at a packed Co-op Place on Saturday night. Of course, top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna led the charge with a monster five-assist performance. McKenna’s five helpers mark his second five-point night of the postseason. He’s just shy of the WHL record for assists in a single game (7), which was set by Regina’s Dale Derkatch in 1982. The Tigers also proved lethal on the powerplay, going 3/5 on the man advantage. Hometown boy Josh Van Mulligen also bagged the game-winning strike for Medicine Hat, while Wiesblatt added a pair to sit second in the postseason goals race. The aforementioned Bryce Pickford tickled twine twice and rookie Liam Ruck and Misha Volotovskii rounded out the scoring for the home side. Kooper Gizowski got Lethbridge on the board late in the game after converting a stunning no-look pass from Brayden Edwards before Anthony Wilson closed out the scoring. Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin stopped 13 of 14 shots to remain undefeated in the postseason and trim his goals-against average to a league-best 1.93. The series now heads to Lethbridge for Game 3 on Tuesday.

THREE STARS

1- Gavin McKenna, MH

– 5A

2- Bryce Pickford, MH

– 2G-2A

3- Oasiz Wiesblatt, MH

– 2G

ON TAP