PHOTO COURTESY ANDY DEVLIN/EDMONTON OIL KINGS Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender Jordan Switzer makes a stop on Oil Kings' forward Landon Hanson, one of his 37 saves in a 3-2, shootout win Wednesday at Edmonton. The win was the Tigers 18th straight, a new franchise record.
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The 2025-26 Medicine Hat Tigers etched a new mark in the franchise’s history.
The Tigers’ 3-2 shootout win Wednesday in Edmonton over the Oil Kings extended their win streak to 18 games, passing the 2006-07 team for the longest string of consecutive victories in team history.
“It’s a pretty cool feat, all these guys will be a part of it the rest of their lives,” associate coach Joe Frazer said. “For as much tradition that this organization has, that’s pretty cool to be part of the longest winning streak. So I think now we can move on and just get back to keep playing hockey here.”
The Tigers’ win streak started Nov. 22, a 7-6 shootout win over the Calgary Hitmen. They trailed Calgary 4-2 after 20 minutes in that game, scoring three unanswered to overcome a 6-3 deficit and force extra time.
Almost two months later, it took another comeback and shootout to make history.
They trailed Edmonton 2-1 after 20 minutes, forward Kade Stengrim scoring the lone Tigers’ goal. Defenceman Jonas Woo scored on a shorthanded rush with 1:29 left in the second period. The 19-year-old blue liner, who sits tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals with three, says they’re not done with the streak just yet.
“It’s been pretty special, it’s always cool to be in the history books,” Woo said. “Our team’s done a really good job of embracing that and it’s just something that we’re not done here yet. It’s something exciting we’re excited for.
“We’re not done yet, it’s not something that we look at but it’s not something we’re ready to be finished with. We’re excited for every game and we’re not done or letting it go.”
Starter Jordan Switzer stopped 37 shots for his league-leading 20th win. He turned aside more than a few Oil King breakaways and made a cross-crease stop in the overtime to keep the game tied in front of family and friends in his hometown.
“It’s always good to be a big piece of a game like that, especially in a huge game where you have something big on the line,” Switzer said. “I think we played good defensively and then we built as the game went into the third really good.”
The game came to a pause with 2:03 left in the second period when Oil Kings forward Dylan Dean was hit in the corner by forward Ethan Neutens. Dean remained motionless on the ice and was stretchered off. Frazer says they received confirmation postgame that Dean was OK.
He says it was a quick play and he knows Neutens wasn’t trying to hurt anyone. Frazer says they’ll wait to see if the league hands out any supplemental discipline for the play.
“Ethan plays the game hard, but honest,” Frazer said. “We got confirmation that Dean was OK and that’s all you want to see. You want to play hard, but you want to make sure everyone’s safe.”
The win gives the Tigers a two-point edge on the Oil Kings for the Central division and the Eastern conference. The Tigers still sit one point up in the conference on the East division-leading Prince Albert Raiders.
They’ll get another look at Edmonton tonight before hosting Prince Albert on Saturday. It’s fun weekend ahead, Frazer says.
“These are the games you want to play,” Frazer said. “Two really tough opponents, they play a little bit different styles, but they’re both playoff style games and we just have to make sure we’re playing our game and nothing changes. We just have to play Tigers hockey.”
Woo commits to ASU
Coming off the record-setting win, Woo announced Thursday he as committed to play NCAA hockey next season for the Arizona State University Sun Devils.
“There was a couple of options but AUS is a great school and they have an opportunity there for me, so I’m excited to go,” Woo said.
The Winnipeg product sits second in CHL defenceman scoring, behind his D-partner Bryce Pickford, tallying 21 goals and 57 points in 34 games.
He says playing pro hockey is still the goal once this season is done.
“The end goal is the NHL, so if something falls there, then I’ll take it,” Woo said. “But just focus on this year at the moment and focus on winning a championship.”
Woo was not named to NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings list released Monday, to the surprise of head coach Willie Desjardins. The Tigers’ bench boss was frustrated at the lack of recognition for Woo.
“I don’t know how you can’t take a chance on the guy, he’s too competitive. So whatever happens, happens,” Desjardins said. “But he’s had an incredible year for us and hopefully he gets recognized.”
He says the rankings are something he doesn’t focus on and he appreciated Desjardins standing up for him.
“Seeing myself not on there, it’s a little bit of motivation, but it’s something that I try and stay out of and try to keep out of my head,” Woo said. “Willie’s been really good with me. We talk a lot and he’s always supported me. So hearing that from him is special and good to hear.”
