Won’t back down – Tigers fight for 3-1 series lead in WHL final

Chiefs’ backs against wall after 5-2 loss in Game 4

The Medicine Hat Tigers theme song in 2024-25 has been “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds.

They might consider adding “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty And the Heartbreakers to their musical repertoire.

Going into Game 4 of the WHL Championship Series on Wednesday night against the Spokane Chiefs at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, adversity continued to pile up for the Tigers. For a second straight game, they were without superstar left-winger Gavin McKenna due to an undisclosed injury.

The additions to the injury list included star centre Cayden Lindstrom and head turning 16-year-old rookie centre Gordon-Carroll Shaeffer. Both were out with undisclosed injuries. Lindstrom played the first three games of the WHL final after missing the rest of the 2024-25 campaign with a long term back injury.

Despite those big losses, the Tigers roared to 5-2 victory to the disappointment of most of the 7,865 spectators in attendance outside of a healthy contingent of supporters that were present for the Medicine Hat side. With the win, the Tigers take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

They will try to close things out and capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions in Game 5 set for Friday at 7 p.m. local time at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The Tigers will be trying to win their sixth WHL championship in team history and first league title since 2007.

If needed, Game 6 is set for Sunday at 7 p.m. local time at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat. If the series gets to a Game 7, it is slated for Monday at 7 p.m. local time at Co-op Place.

In Game 4 on Wednesday, both teams broke on to the scoreboard early. Just 31 seconds into the opening frame, Tigers star right-winger Ryder Ritchie knocked home a puck from the front of the Chiefs net to put the visitors up 1-0.

Just 18 seconds later, the Chiefs evened the score at 1-1. Chiefs 19-year-old defenceman Saige Weinstein fired a shot from the left point that was tipped home by import right-winger Asanali Sarkenov for the equalizer.

The Tigers would take control of the contest in the second period scoring three straight power-play goals to jump ahead 4-1. At the 2:29 mark of the frame, Tigers offensive-defenceman Bryce Pickford drove home a shot from inside the top of the right faceoff circle to put the visitors up 2-1.

The contest took a big turn at the 7:50 mark of the second when Chiefs 18-year-old defenceman Nathan Mayes hammered Tigers defensive centre Misha Volotovskii into the boards, when Volotovskii didn’t have the puck. Mayes was given a major penalty for interference and a game misconduct. Volotovskii left the game favouring his right arm and didn’t return.

The interference major to Mayes will be automatically reviewed by the WHL office for a possible suspension.

Part way through that five-minute power play, the Tigers would go on a two-man advantage when Chiefs 20-year-old import star centre Rasmus Ekstrom was given an unsportsmanlike minor for giving Tigers 20-year-old star netminder Harrison Meneghin a snow shower when Meneghin froze the puck.

Bryce Pickford scored a pair of goals for the Tigers.

Just six seconds into that two-man advantage, Pickford drove home his second power-play goal of the contest to the top right corner of the Chiefs net to push the Tigers advantage out to 3-1.

Before the major penalty to Mayes expired, Tigers super rookie Liam Ruck backhanded home a loose puck in the crease of the Spokane net for Medicine Hat’s third power-play marker to give the visitors their 4-1 lead.

With 2:30 remaining in the second, the Chiefs got a power-play goal of their own to trim the Tigers lead to 4-2. Chiefs superstar right-winger Andrew Cristall had the puck at the left point and passed it to linemate Shea Van Olm at the top of the right faceoff dot. Van Olm wasted little time in one-timing home the power-play marker.

Just when the Chiefs thought they had the momentum, Tigers star 19-year-old right-winger Hunter St. Martin took it away. With 30.6 seconds remaining in the second, St. Martin jetted down the right wing, cut wide around a Chiefs defenceman, drove to the Spokane net on a partial breakaway and roofed a shot to the top right corner of the goal to make the Tigers lead stand at 5-2.

The two squads proceeded to skate through a scoreless third frame.

Meneghin stopped 28 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Tigers. Dawson Cowan turned away 29 shots to take the setback in net for the Chiefs.

Pickford had an assist to go with his two goals. He has scored at least one goal in his last seven straight games, which is the longest consecutive string of games with a goal by a defenceman in the WHL Playoffs since 1996. Pickford had nine goals over his last seven outings.

Tigers star defenceman Tanner Molendyk had three assists in the win. He has points in his last 12 straight games recording four goals and 16 assists over the course of that streak.

Ruck had an assist to go with his goal.

Before entering the WHL Playoffs, the Tigers placed second overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 47-17-3-1 mark. The Chiefs were fourth overall in the regular season with a 45-20-1-2 record.

As for the final CHL Top 10 Rankings that were released back on March 25, the Tigers were ranked third, and the Chiefs were rated sixth.

Including play in both the regular season and post-season the Tigers have won 43 out of their last 51 games. The Tigers are also 11-2-1 during the 2024-25 campaign when they don’t have McKenna in the lineup.

Tanner Molendyk had three assists for the Tigers.

Over the last two games of the WHL final and throughout the 2024-25 campaign, the Tigers have thrived on adversity. That characteristic has them one win away from another WHL title.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Chiefs sweep Winterhawks, take WHL’s Western Conference title

The Spokane Chiefs offence proved to be too much for the Portland Winterhawks to handle.

That is saying something when you realize the Winterhawks can light up a scoreboard too.

On Thursday night playing before 4,558 spectators at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the visiting Chiefs outgunned the Winterhawks 6-4 in Game 4 of the WHL’s Western Conference Championship Series. With the win, the Chiefs sweep the best-of-seven set 4-0. The Chiefs outscored the Winterhawks 28-18 over the four games in the series.

Spokane advances to the WHL Championship Series for the first time since 2008. In 2008, the Chiefs captured the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions and claimed the Memorial Cup as CHL champions. That Chiefs team included stars Drayson Bowman, Mitch Wahl, Chris Bruton, Jared Spurgeon and Dustin Tokarski.

The Chiefs will face the Medicine Hat Tigers in this year’s best-of-seven WHL Championship Series. The Tigers swept away the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Championship Series. Medicine Hat concluded that set with a 5-3 victory over a host Lethbridge side on Wednesday.

In Thursday’s clash between the Chiefs and Winterhawks, star right-winger Andrew Cristall powered the Spokane side with two goals, one assist and a plus-two rating in the plus-minus department. Cristall leads the WHL Playoffs in goals (20) and points (37).

Chiefs star left-winger Shea Van Olm and star import centre Rasmus Ekstrom each had one goal and one assist. Coco Armstrong and Owen Martin each picked up singles for the Chiefs.

Breakout rookie 19-year-old right-winger Alex Weiermair powered the Winterhawks with two goals, one assist and a plus-one rating. Star defenceman Tyson Jugnauth had three assists, while captain Kyle Chyzowski had two helpers.

Star left-winger Josh Zakreski had one goal and one assist for Portland, while Ryan Miller picked up a single.

Dawson Cowan stopped 39 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Chiefs. Rookie 17-year-old import netminder Ondrej Stebetak turned away 39-of-44 shots to take the setback in net for the Winterhawks.

The Chiefs exited the first period holding a 2-1 lead. When the Chiefs and Winterhawks were locked in a 1-1 draw in the opening frame, Winterhawks star centre Diego Buttazzoni took a major penalty for cross-checking to the head and a game misconduct. The league will automatically review those infractions for a possible suspension to be applied if Buttazzoni returns for his 19-year-old season in the 2025-26 campaign.

The two sides proceeded to conclude the second period locked in a 3-3 tie.

Just 24 seconds into the third period, Zakreski scored his 11^th of the post-season to give the Winterhawks 4-3 lead.

The Chiefs responded scoring three straight goals in the final 5:47 of the third. Ekstrom netted the equalizer that forced a 4-4 tie with 5:47 remaining in the third.

Martin scored the game and series winner with 3:11 remaining in the third to put the Chiefs up 5-4. Van Olm rounded out the contest’s scoring with an empty-net goal with 93 seconds remaining in the third.

Spokane finished fourth overall in the WHL during the regular season with a 45-20-1-2 mark, while Portland was 12^th overall with a 36-28-3-1 record. The Winterhawks won two series that went seven games to make the Western Conference Championship Series.

The Chiefs took out the Vancouver Giants in five games in the first round and eliminated the Victoria Royals in six games in a Western Conference semifinal series. Spokane is currently riding a seven game winning streak.

Looking ahead to the WHL final, the Tigers topped the Eastern Conference and finished second overall in the WHL’s regular season with a 47-17-3-1 mark. In their last 47 games between the regular season and playoffs, the Tigers are an impressive 40-4-2-1. Medicine Hat has also won 10 straight games.

The Chiefs and Tigers met once in the regular season back on January 24 the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Medicine Hat claimed that encounter 3-2.

The Tigers will have home ice advantage for the WHL Championship Series. The schedule for that seven game set is still to be announced.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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