Tigers beat Rockets in overtime Saturday

By James Tubb on October 25, 2025.

Medicine Hat News

Second time’s the charm when it comes to overtime.

The Medicine Hat Tigers redeemed themselves from a loss Friday with a 4-3, overtime win Saturday at Kelowna over the Rockets. Medicine Hat came into the contest against the 2026 Memorial Cup hosts off a 5-4 overtime loss Friday to the Kamloops Blazers that saw them drop a two-goal lead, allowing three straight to fall in the extra frame.

“They came out really hard in the first, Carter (Casey) was outstanding in the pipes,” associate coach Joe Frazer said. “Then we got our legs going in the second, just as a huge comeback. That’s a tough team, they have lots of skill and talent up front, so that’s a big one.”

Casey finished with 37 saves for his third win of the season. It was the first time this season Casey started on back-to-back nights, making 21 saves on Friday.

Kelowna opened the scoring Saturday with a pair in the first period.

Just 4:58 into the game, Rockets’ captain Carson Wetsch redirected a shot from Dawson Gerwing for his first with Kelowna and the 1-0 lead. Wetsch was acquired by the Rockets in an offseason trade from the Calgary Hitmen.

The first period was all Kelowna, they outshot the Tigers 21-4 and finished the frame with a second tally. Tomas Poletin scored with 2:04 left in the period, wiring a shot from the top of the circles that beat starter Carter Casey.

Medicine Hat responded in the second period. They got on the board 2:40 into the frame.

Gavin Kor picked the puck up off a face-off win by Misha Volottovskii and beat Harrison Boettiger with a shot for his second on the year.

The Tigers tied it up 7:25 later with a highlight-reel goal. On a penalty kill, the Rockets won the face-off in the Tigers’ end and Carter Cunningham jumped on the puck, chipping it past a defender before turning on the jets up ice. He faked a shot and then scored past an outstretched Boettiger for his third of the year, his first shorthanded marker in the WHL.

After falling behind early in the game, the Tigers capped off the second period run on a power play. Markus Ruck loaded up with the puck at the point and fired a shot on net that was re-directed by Kadon McCann in front, past the Kelowna net minder. After a quick review it remained a good goal, giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead at 12:18. Bryce Pickford had the second assist on McCann’s third of the year.

Kelowna appeared to tie the game up later in the frame as a shot from the point beat Casey with Hayden Paupanekis celebrating in front. The goal was immediately waved off and after a discussion between officials, stayed as a no goal.

Before the period ended, Ethan Neutens, facing his former club, threw a shoulder-on-shoulder hit on Poletin and was immediately challenged to a fight by defenceman Nate Corbet who was sent the other way in a trade last year. The two were given five minute fighting majors, Neutens was called for tripping and Corbet was given a two-minute minor for instigating and a 10-minute misconduct.

The Tigers outshot the Rockets 10-8 in the frame, trailing Kelowna 29-14 in the game.

Medicine Hat held their own in the third period, preserving the one-goal lead as the clocked ticked down. Ultimately, Kelowna pulled the goalie with 2:12 left in the game and tied it up with the extra attacker. Wetsch had the puck to the left of Casey and he slid a pass cross-crease to Paupanekis who chipped it past the Tigers’ net minder to get his goal on the night, tying it up with 2:01 left on the clock.

For the second straight night, the Tigers faced overtime, getting a more favourable result in the repeat. After the two teams traded chances, the Tigers had a face-off in the Kelowna end. Noah Davidson, getting his first shift of the extra frame, won the draw to Pickford at the point and he fired a shot on net. The puck found its way behind the net where Dayton Reschny picked it up.

The 19-year-old circled around behind the net, protecting the puck as he works his way around the top of the face-off circle before driving into the slot where he fired a backhand shot past Boettiger for the game winner with 1:24 left in overtime. Pickford and Davidson had the assists on Reschny’s fourth of the season. Frazer was impressed by the goal and the efforts he’s seen from Reschny this season.

“He’s been getting better and better every game, you can see the confidence growing in him,” Frazer said. “He’s got a lot of speed, a lot of skill, it’s great to see him have that confidence to kind of fake the drop, he dropped his shoulder and drove wide and then he had the skill to put it upstairs like that was a heck of a goal.”

In the Rockets net, Boettiger finished with 19 stops. Kelowna outshot the Tigers 40-23, Medicine Hat won the face-off battle 33-31. The Tigers held Kelowna scoreless on five power plays and they converted on their lone man advantage.

The Tigers (9-4-1) head to Penticton on Monday where they face the expansion Vees for the first time ever, also wrapping up the B.C. division trip.