Tigers take Conference final opener

By Lethbridge Herald on April 25, 2025.

SOUTHERN AlBERTA NEWSPAPERS PHOTO BY JAMES TUBB Lethbridge Hurricanes Kash Andresen attempts to carry the puck out of the zone during Game 1 of the WHLÕs Eastern Conference final against the Medicine Hat Tigers at Co-op Place on Friday night.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Medicine Hat Tigers drew first blood in the WHL Eastern Conference final with a 5-2 Game 1 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday night at Co-op Place.

“We knew we were in tough,” said Matt Anholt, Canes associate head coach.

“Obviously they’ve been off for a week-and-a-half and we just played on Wednesday. So a little bit of scheduling loss in my opinion for us and we’ll just move on for (tonight) … And good to  see our guys not quit at the end and play in front of Koen Cleaver.”

Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll redirected in a Markus Ruck pass 2:17 into the game to give the Tigers an early  1-0 lead.

Tanner Molendyk got the other assist on the goal.

Gavin McKenna then snapped the puck past Jackson Unger six seconds later to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Ryder Ritchie and Oasiz Wiesblatt assisted on McKenna’s seventh goal of the playoffs.

Logan Wormald got the Canes on the board 6:17 into the first when he followed a long rebound off a blocked shot  and fired the puck back through the crowd into the net.

Brayden Edwards and Logan McCutcheon assisted on Wormald’s goal.

Wiesblatt restored the Tigers two-goal lead 9:29 into the first period when he took tip pass from Ritchie and he tipped in back into the net.

McKenna got the other assist.

Ritchie found a lane and walked in and deked to the backhand and beat Unger 6:13 into the middle frame to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Wiesblatt assisted on Ritchie’s marker.

Ethan Neutens jammed the puck in 11: 39 into the second from Bryce Pickford and Jonas Woo to give Medicine Hat a 5-1.

Brayden Yager one-timed in a Brayden Edwards pass on a four-minute powerplay to get the Canes second goal of the game 16:11 into the second.

Medicine Hat outshot Lethbridge 36-16 in the game

Game 2 is tonight at Medicine Hat’s Co-op Place.

For Saturday’s Game 2 coverage, log on to https://www.lethbridgeherald.com.