Cubs look to make standings jump with pair of weekend home games

By JAMES TUBB on January 31, 2025.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Cubs enter the penultimate weekend of the HJHL regular season with a playoff bye on the eye.

The Cubs host the Coaldale Copperheads tonight at the Kinplex for a 7:30 p.m. contest, looking to overcome the one-point difference between them and the second-place Strathmore Wheatland Kings.

The Cubs (24-8-2) have played the same number of games as Strathmore (25-8-1) but trail the Southern division rival for second place, which would earn them a bye in the first round of the HJHL playoffs set to begin Feb. 10.

The Cubs also host the North division-leading Sylvan Lake Wranglers on Sunday at 3 p.m. The Wranglers shut out the Cubs 6-0 on Jan. 24.

Matt Knutson, former assistant coach with the Cubs, is stepping back onto the bench alongside head coach Randy Wong to start the weekend. He’s followed the team throughout the year and he’s looking forward to the jump Friday’s game can give them for the rest of the weekend.

“Every time Coaldale comes to town, they just don’t roll over,” Knutson said. “So it’ll be a big game for them on Friday to build up a little more confidence going into Sunday against Sylvan. Because that one is definitely going to be a tough game. So Friday and Sunday are going to be huge for the boys.”

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