Updated: Cubs clinch spot in Provincials final with comeback win Friday

By James Tubb on April 3, 2026.

Medicine Hat News

The Medicine Hat Cubs will play for provincial gold on Sunday.

With a 4-2, comeback win today over the Sherwood Park Knights, the HJHL Champions have clinched a spot in the Jr. B Provincial gold medal final on Sunday in Lloydminster. The Cubs are the first team to three wins, guaranteed to finish first or second in the tournament standings heading into finals Sunday.

Despite two goals against in the first, head coach Trent Derzaph liked their start in the win.

“We took a couple penalties there in the first that put us down a couple and coming into the second we scored a five on five and I could feel things were starting to turn around,” Derzaph said. “We scored another five on five, and then we started walking away with it at that point.”

Blake Girard scored twice in the third period, with the game winner coming 4:10 into the frame.

On Friday, the Cubs had a slow start, trailing Sherwood Park 2-0 after 20 minutes. Hadeon Boyechko and Ryan Bablitz scored on a pair of power plays goals to put the Knights ahead by a pair.

The second period saw the Cubs start with a five-on-three power play, unable to convert on the man advantage. Instead, they found the back of the net at even strength. Kyle Woolridge scored his second of the tournament to bring them within one and Mason Osinski found the back of the net with 2:52 left in the frame for the tie. Osinski and Ethan Burgeson assisted on Woolridge’s goal, Burgeson had the lone helpers on Osinski’s marker.

The Cubs completed the comeback in the third period with a pair from Girard.

He scored 4:10 into the third, the lone assist from Makhi Carriere. Just 32 seconds later, Girard struck again, with Jesse Klimosko and Randen Collier recording the assists on his insurance marker. Girard scored twice and had seven points in the Cubs 11 playoff games.

“He’s been playing great, just a steady kid who can move his feet and play up and down the ice no matter what position I put him in,” Derzaph said. “He’s been super steady with timely goals.”

The Cubs held on for the win, outshooting Sherwood Park 12-8 in the frame and 37-31 on the afternoon. Kayden Van Ham started in net for Medicine Hat, making 29 saves. They have used three goalies through the first three games at provincials, Marlo DeRosa picking up the first win and Kayne Wright working a shutout Thursday in the second win.

The Cubs will finish round robin play on Saturday against the Vermilion Tigers, puck drop at 6 p.m. Derzaph says they’ll be able to rest some players on Saturday as they prep for the gold medal final.

“The guys, all of us, we’ve been wanting this all year and this is our opportunity,” Derzaph said. “So (Saturday) is a big game, don’t get me wrong, but we know what we’re up against Sunday and we’ll be ready for it.”

They will play for gold on Sunday at 2 p.m. All games can be streamed on FloHockey.Tv.

(This story has been updated with postgame comments from head coach Trent Derzaph)