Cubs off to HJHL Finals for first time in team history

By JAMES TUBB on March 7, 2026.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Cubs have long seen themselves as one of the top four teams in the Heritage Junior Hockey League.

After 24 years in the HJHL, they get a chance to prove they’re No. 1.

The Cubs have advanced to the HJHL Finals for the first time in franchise history, beating the Cochrane Generals 7-1 Thursday night at the Kinplex to sweep the South Finals 3-0.

It’s been a long road to the league finals, not yet finished, captain Kyle Woolridge says.

“It’s a big milestone for the team, but you get to this stage, you still have more hockey to play,” Woolridge said. “We can’t get too excited and be happy with we’ve got so far. We have to keep going all the way to win that HJHL championship.”

Woolridge had two goals in the series clincher Thursday, putting him first in postseason scoring with 10 goals and 12 points in eight games. Forward Nolan Sutherland, missing five playoff games due to suspension, scored twice Thursday, including the series winner. Jesse Klimosko, Josiah Jackson and Carter Allan all scored, the latter potting his first HJHL goal in just his seventh game in the league.

Head coach Trent Derzaph credited his team’s depth for the Game 3 win and series sweep.

“We get the scoring from everywhere, having a really good start and continue through,” Derzaph said. “It was just a well rounded game really. Marlo stepped up for us again, and he did all series. It was a really good team win.”

Cubs starter Marlo DeRosa stopped 36 shots for his fifth win of the playoffs.

Medicine Hat outscored the Generals 16-5 in the series, a display of their work ethic, Woolridge says.

“Everyone in the locker room wants to win, you have your ups and downs, but in the end of it, when your whole team wants to win, play together, you win hockey games,” Woolridge said.

“At times we got down a little bit, but then we just fought right away. We never were out of the game at all and that’s a big momentum swing the whole time, it really helped us out.”

The series win is another notch on an historic season that’s seen the Cubs capture their first regular season South division title since 2001-02, their first in the HJHL. They finally advanced past the Okotoks Bisons, after being eliminated by them in three of the previous four playoffs.

For general manager Randy Wong, who was head coach for the last four seasons before stepping back this year, advancing to the league finals is a weight off the shoulders.

“We’ve been close, we’ve had our struggles with Okotoks and we’ve always felt like we’re in the top three or four in the league, but today we’re in the top two,” Wong said. “We’ll move forward to the league final, something that we haven’t been there, but we’ve always tried to achieve that role.

“For the guys that have been here with me throughout, Woolridge, Keynan Cairns, Jacob Hazzard, Makhi Carriere, Jesse Klimosko, those guys who’ve been here for three or four years, it means the world to me that they finally get a chance to go to the dance and see what we can do.”

The Cubs will face off against the HJHL’s regular season champion Red Deer Vipers in the best-of-five finals. Red Deer beat the defending HJHL champion Sylvan Lake Wranglers 3-1 in the North Finals, winning Game 4 Thursday 4-2.

In the regular season, the Cubs and Vipers split 1-1. Medicine Hat won 7-4 on Nov. 23 at home and lost 7-2 in Red Deer on Jan. 24. The start dates are to be announced but the Cubs will begin the series on the road for the first time this playoffs. Derzaph isn’t concerned about starting away from the Kinplex, but he is looking forward to when they will play in front of the Cubs faithful.

“As far as being on the road, when we lost to him up in Red Deer, we didn’t have our best game,” Derzaph said. “If we continue to play like this, I’m confident with the guys.

“Our fans are amazing, when I can hear them on the bench banging and hollering. it’s huge for the guys. They just feed off of that and they score a goal, fans get into it and we just keep rolling.”

The Cubs have lost just five times on home ice during the regular season and playoffs. Thursday’s series winner saw a packed Kinplex, a crowd Wong hopes they can reward with a few more wins.

“We’re going to Red Deer, hopefully looking for a split and then bring it back home, because we know that our fans are going to be part of it and we want them to be part of it,” Wong said. “It’s been a long time coming here. It goes back 24 years that this team hasn’t been in the final, so that’s huge for the program and our alumni. They were here in full support tonight and it’s awesome to see.”

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