Cubs look to extend 5-game win streak with pair of home games

By JAMES TUBB on November 28, 2025.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Cubs are putting things together at the right time of year.

The Cubs enter a two-game home stand this weekend on a five-game win streak after beating their South division rival Okotoks Bisons and the North division co-leader Red Deer Vipers last weekend.

They host the Strathmore Wheatland Kings tonight, sitting one point back of the South division leaders who have played one more game. On Sunday they’ll host the Sylvan Lake Wranglers who are tied with the Vipers to lead the North division, with one more game played.

Cubs head coach Trent Derzaph says they’re not fully where they need to be but he’s seeing a team coming together as a group.

“We’ve knocked down a couple of the best teams in the league in my opinion as of late, and throughout the season here we’ve taken on and beat the strongest teams in the league,” Derzaph said. “So the guys know that it’s all doable and are buying in and starting to become like a cohesive team. They’re a cohesive group and really starting to become brothers.”

The Cubs sit tied for second in the South with the Coaldale Copperheads, holding a game in hand. They have scored the sixth-most goals in the HJHL with 81 and have surrendered just 54, the fourth fewest goals against. What’s also helped the Cubs through the halfway point of the year is their special teams success.

They lead the HJHL in penalty kill percentage, 92 per cent, and sit second in power play percentage at 25.2 per cent. The Wranglers lead the league at 32.9 per cent efficiency.

Tonight’s matchup against Strathmore is their third meeting with the Wheatland Kings, losing 6-3 on Oct. 18 before responding with a 5-1 win a week alter. Sunday’s meeting with Sylvan Lake will be the second and final match with the North division foe. Medicine Hat blanked them 3-0 on Oct. 5.

Derzaph says they’ll have to beat the best if they want to become the HJHL’s top team.

“I’m looking forward to try and repeat what we did to (Sylvan Lake) a month and a half back,” Derzaph said. “I don’t think there’s a team in this league that our organization can’t beat on any given night. However, we know damn well that we’ve got to be playing at our best too and we have to continue to improve every day we’re on the ice.”

Tonight’s game against Strathmore gets underway at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday’s contest is at 3 p.m., both at the Kinplex. On Sunday the Cubs will be accepting gift donations for seniors.

Fans are encouraged to bring unwrapped blankets and personal care items to put under the donation tree in an effort to support the local Santa for Seniors charity. The game will have raffle prizes, crafts and intermission activities, as well as photos with The Grinch for $5, all proceeds to go to the local Santa for Seniors charity.

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