Chiefs sweep Portland to face Tigers in WHL Finals

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on May 3, 2025.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

The Spokane Chiefs will be in Medicine Hat next weekend to face the Tigers in the WHL Finals.

The Chiefs won the Western Conference in sweeping fashion, beating the Portland Winterhawks 6-4 Thursday night in Game 4 of the West Finals.

With Medicine Hat sweeping the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday, the 2025 WHL Finals mark the first time the two remaining teams swept their respective Conference Championships.

Portland led 4-3 with just over five minutes left in the third period before Spokane tied it up and grabbed a lead in a span of 2:36. Forwards Rasmus Ekstrom and Owen Martin each scored. Shea Van Olm sealed the sweep with an empty net goal.

Dawson Cowan turned aside 39 shots for his fourth straight win in the Western Conference Championship.

After three rounds the Chiefs lead the WHL Playoffs in scoring with 85 goals in 15 games. They’ve also surrendered the third-most goals with 59.

Spokane’s trip to the WHL Championship Series is their fifth in franchise history and their first since winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup and the Memorial Cup in 2008.

The Chiefs have an all-time record of 2-2 in the league final, their first coming in 1991. They’ve won the Memorial Cup twice.