SERIES PREVIEW: (5) Red Deer Rebels vs. (4) Medicine Hat Tigers

The quest for the Ed Chynoweth Cup commences when the 2024 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien kick off on Thursday, March 28.  The Western Hockey League will preview each of the eight First Round matchups in the leadup to puck drop.

The Medicine Hat Tigers and Red Deer Rebels are set to tangle in the postseason for the first time since 2015.

The best-of-seven First Round series starts on Friday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. MST at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat.

Medicine Hat clinched home ice with a 37-23-6-2 campaign that saw them finish second in the Central Division, while the Rebels finished seven points behind their opponents with a 33-26-3-6 record.

2023-24 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
September 29, 2023- Medicine Hat 4, Red Deer 2
December 27, 2023- Medicine Hat 4, Red Deer 2
January 2, 2024- Red Deer 2, Medicine Hat 3 (OT)
January 5, 2024- Medicine Hat 3, Red Deer 5
January 19, 2024- Red Deer 3, Medicine Hat 1
February 10, 2024- Red Deer 4, Medicine Hat 5 (OT)

GAME BREAKERS

Medicine Hat Tigers: Sensational rookie Gavin McKenna took the offensive reins for the Tigers and never let go, setting a franchise record for most points as a 16-year-old with a team-best 97 (34G, 63A). The Whitehorse, Yukon product finished 12th in the WHL points race and put up three hat tricks and seven matches where he added four or more points. McKenna had four goals and seven assists in six contests against Red Deer, highlighted by a three-assist performance in a 4-2 Tigers win on September 29.

Red Deer Rebels: Captain Kai Uchacz is far and away Red Deer’s most productive offensive weapon. The 20-year-old veteran led the Rebels with 81 points (42G, 39A), surpassing 40 goals for the second time in his career and becoming the fifth player to score 100 goals in a Red Deer sweater. The De Winton, Alta. product put up three hat tricks and 10 games where he earned three points or more. However, the Tigers were able to limit Uchacz to one goal and five assists in six meetings this season.

GOALTENDING

Medicine Hat Tigers: The Tigers have relied on a rotating contingent of rookie netminders throughout the season, with Ethan McCallum and Zach Zahara splitting duties. Zahara has gotten the lion’s share of starts, with a 16-7-3-2 record. The Rockeyview, Alta. native was a perfect 2-0-0-0 in both his matches against Red Deer, posting a 2.90 goals-against average and .893 save percentage. McCallum had slightly better stats in his pair of games against the Rebels, putting up a 1.94 goals-against average and .923 save percentage, but split the matches with a 1-1-0-0 record.

Red Deer Rebels: Both Chase Wutzke and Rhett Stoeser have earned Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week recognition at least once this season, but 2024 NHL Draft-eligible rookie Wutzke has seized control of the Rebels crease with a career-best regular season. The Debden, Sask. netminder has a win and two overtime losses against Medicine Hat this season with a 2.85 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. This will be Wutzke and Stoesser’s first taste of postseason action at the WHL level.

X FACTOR

Medicine Hat Tigers: Top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Cayden Lindstrom has been held out of the lineup since sustaining an upper-body injury in December, but the powerhouse centre has recently begun skating with the team again and could be a game-changing weapon if he returns in time for Round One. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound forward is ranked third among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and amassed 27 goals and 19 assists in 32 contests before he got hurt. His 27 goals still rank fourth on the team and his 1.44 points-per-game mark is second-best on Medicine Hat.

Red Deer Rebels: Defenceman Hunter Mayo quietly led all Red Deer skaters with two goals and five assists for seven points against Medicine Hat in the regular season, finding the scoresheet in all six meetings. The 19-year-old blueliner also gets plenty of reps on the powerplay, with 15 of his assists coming on the man-advantage. The Rebels’ defensive efforts have also boosted their play this season, with Red Deer allowing the sixth-fewest goals against in the WHL (217).

SERIES SCHEDULE

2024 WHL PLAYOFFS – SERIES D SCHEDULE

*- If necessary