Cubs take Game 2 of South Finals series

By James Tubb on March 1, 2026.

Medicine Hat News

The Medicine Hat Cubs have grabbed an early stronghold of the South Finals.

The Cubs won 5-3 Sunday in Cochrane to lead the Generals 2-0 in the best-of-five, third-round series. Medicine Hat took Game 1 on Friday, winning 4-1 at the Kinplex. Just like Game 1, the Cubs special teams rose to the occasion in Game 2, finishing 3-7 on the power play while the penalty kill held Cochrane scoreless on three man advantages.

Cochrane opened the scoring halfway through the first period with Nathan Sherriffs’ second goal of the postseason. The Cubs responded with a late power play in the first.

Ethan Burgeson, scoring in back to back games, found the back of the net on a power play with four seconds left in the frame to tie the game. Mason Osinski and Austin Derzaph had the assists on Burgeson’s second of the playoffs.

The Cubs led all the offence in the second period, scoring a pair on a five-on-three power play to lead 3-1 after 40 minutes.

Captain Kyle Woolridge scored at five-on-three, with 1:13 left in the period, for the 2-1 lead. Josiah Jackson and Derzaph had the assists on Woolridge’s first of the game. Just 42 seconds later, Jacob Hazzard scored on the second half of the power play, potting his fourth of the playoffs. Makhi Carriere and Carson Kraft had the assists.

Woolridge opened the third period with a goal, scoring 3:26 into the period for a 4-1 lead. Burgeson and Osinski had the assists on Woolridge’s eighth of the playoffs.

Cochrane drew within one with a pair of goals in third. Cole Whelan scored 58 seconds over the halfway mark of the period to make it a 4-2 game and with the goalie pulled, Whelan scored with 1:38 left in the game to make it a 4-3 score.

The Cubs held the Generals at bay and prevented the comeback as Jesse Klimosko iced the win with an empty netter for his fifth of the playoffs. Blake Girard had the lone assist.

Marlo DeRosa made 33 saves in net for the Cubs. Across the ice from him, Isaias Maddigan made 47 stops in the Cochrane net as the Cubs outshot the Generals 52-36.

The South Finals series returns to the Kinplex on Thursday as the Cubs look to advance to the HJHL finals. Puck drop for Game 3 is 8:30 p.m.