PHOTO COURTESY WHL
The Medicine Hat Tigers captured the WHL's Northern Lights Cup with a 5-2 win Saturday over the Kelowna Rockets, winning the Yukon Showcase.
Medicine Hat News
The Medicine Hat Tigers earned a second piece of hardware in 2025.
The Tigers beat the Kelowna Rockets 5-2 on Saturday to win the WHL’s Yukon Showcase and capture the Northern Lights Cup as winners of the two-game set held in Whitehorse, Yukon. Medicine Hat beat the Rockets 8-4 on Friday.
Medicine Hat opened the scoring early in the first, getting on the board in the opening minute. Noah Davidson, slotted with the Ruck twins, found early chemistry with a net-front goal off a pass from Liam behind the net. Markus had the second assist as the Tigers led 1-0 57 seconds into the game.
The Rockets responded with a pair of goals, grabbing their only lead of the weekend.
Kalder Varga scored on a Rockets’ power play to tie the game up in the first period. Kelowna outshot the Tigers 14-5 in the first.
The Rockets scored 5:25 into the second with Kayden Longley finding the back of the net on a power play for the 2-1 lead. That was the last blemish on the night for Tigers’ starter Cruz Chase, he finished with 38 saves and the win in his first preseason start.
Medicine Hat tied the game up just over the halfway point of the frame. Liam Ruck set Davidson up for a one-timer on a power play and the Irvine, Calif. product hammered the puck past Kelowna’s Jake Pilon for his second goal of the game. Kyle Heger had the second assist as the game remained tied after 40 minutes. Kelowna again led the frame in shots, 14-13.
The Tigers grabbed a lead in the first five minutes of the third, scoring on another power play. Gavin Kor held the puck at the point and walked the blue line before wiring a shot from distance that found twine. Josh Van Mulligen had the lone assist on Kor’s second of the weekend, putting the Tigers ahead 3-2 at 4:29.
The Rockets pushed in the frame before the Tigers iced the win with a pair of empty net goals from Misha Volotovksii and Liam Ruck. Medicine Hat ended atop the shots game, outshooting the Rockets 44-40.
With the win Saturday, the Tigers sweep their four-game preseason slate and are off until Sept. 20 when they host the Regina Pats at Co-op Place for the season opener.
