NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Andrew Basha throws a hit on Spokane Chiefs defenceman Will McIsaac in the first period of Game 1 in the WHL Championship series against the Spokane Chiefs Friday at Co-op Place.
A night of adjustments and maneuvers to come at Co-op Place this Mother’s Day.
The Medicine Hat Tigers and Spokane Chiefs meet tonight for Game 2 of the WHL Championship series. The Tigers, look to carry momentum from a 4-1 Game 1 win Friday that was closer than the score reads. Spokane has an eye to even up the series before both teams head to Washington state.
Both teams took a full off-day Saturday with no ice. Tigers’ head coach Willie Desjardins poured over the video of the series opener and was impressed with Spokane’s game.
“Spoke has a really good team, they do lots of things well, they transition well, they push guys out, they’re really hard to contain,” Desjardins said pregame. “So for us, we’re going to have to be on top of our game. They talked about managing the puck, it’s the same with us. We have to manage the puck as well. If we don’t though, they’ll capitalize.”
Spokane outshot the Tigers 37-22 in Game 1 but didn’t have the level of play with the puck that head coach Brad Lauer wanted from his group.
“They’re a team that you got to make sure you’re managing, doing those little things to prevent their transition,” Lauer said postgame Friday. “In the second period, we turned the puck over too many times, but we were still in the game, we still hung around. In the third period, we came back, and I thought again, we got that power play goal which got us within one. They got an unfortunate bounce to get that third one, but played a much better third period. I think we understand what it’s about now. But overall it was just one game.”
Andrew Basha and Bryce Pickford scored in the first period of Game 1. For Basha that was his first goal on his first shift since Dec. 28, 2024, missing the rest of the second half and the first three rounds of the playoffs while recovering from an ankle injury suffered in January 2024.
Desjardins says the Calgary Flames prospect is two months ahead of his recovery schedule and he added it will take Basha a few more games to get to the level he needs to be at.
“He was probably a top-15 pick in the NHL draft and he got hurt and he never came back healthy after that, he played hurt all the time,” Desjardins said. “The Flames got a really good one in him, he’s probably two months ahead to schedule as far as recovery and he said right from day one, he was going to make it. I didn’t think he would, but it’s pretty impressive. He got back and it’s great to get him back.”
Gavin McKenna extended his point streak to 54 games with an assist on Pickford’s goal, further extending the modern day CHL record past the 50-game mark set by Alexander Radulov in 2005-06. Ethan Neutens scored in the third period in a response after Berkly Catton found the back of the net on a power play.
That line of Neutens, Misha Volotovskii and Kadon McCann has been producing in their last four games for the Tigers, with Volotovskii recording a point in each game (2G, 3A), McCann adding a goal and two assists and Neutens had a goal and an assist. It’s a line Desjardins says has come through when they’ve needed them.”
“They’ve got a lot of big goals, they’re a line who plays hard,” Desjardins said. “They had a great third period Friday, so whenever they can contribute, it makes a big, big difference.”
Medicine Hat found success defensively in Game 1 taking away the middle of the ice, limiting the Chiefs one-time and slot chances. It’s something Lauer said they would focus on in preparation for Game 2.
“They put us in some pressure where we weren’t ready to maybe move the puck or shoot the puck again,” Lauer said. “So we’ll go through the game and we’ll making sure there’s some areas in the game we gotta improve on. Getting to the net and getting pucks there and looking for those second, third opportunities that we talk about game in and game out.”
Tigers’ captain Oasiz Wiesblatt had his 25-game point streak snapped in Game 1, a stat line he is okay losing with it falling in a win. He’ll have extra motivation Sunday evening, with his mom Kim in the building. It’s the first time the 21-year-old has seen his mom in two years, she’ll get the chance to see him in action alongside his brother Orca and his sister Oceania.
“It’s a pretty crazy Mother’s Day, get to see my mom after two years and I’m really excited,” Wiesblatt said pregame Sunday. “I’ll see her after my nap and give her a kiss on cheek, and then play my heart out for her, the fans and see my brother as well and my sister. So I’m really excited.”
Desjardins says he didn’t have to buy extra flowers for his wife Rhonda to make up for playing on Mother’s Day. He says it’s special they can play on the day and he says the games aren’t possible without the support from mothers.
“Rhonda is amazing, if you’re ever involved in hockey if you don’t have a good wife, it’s long,” Desjardins said. “I always talk about Brent and Darryl (Maser), but Sandra and Annette are certainly there too, they keep those (two) going and they’re amazing ladies too. So it’s shout out to them for Mother’s Day as well.”
The puck drops for Game 2 at 7 p.m.
