(4) Medicine Hat Tigers vs. (5) Red Deer Rebels
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Red Deer at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m. MT
Game 2: Saturday, March 30 – Red Deer at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m. MT
Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 – Medicine Hat at Red Deer, 7 p.m. MT
Game 4: Wednesday, April 3 – Medicine Hat at Red Deer, 7 p.m. MT
Game 5: Friday, April 5 – Red Deer at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m. MT*
Game 6: Sunday, April 7 – Medicine Hat at Red Deer, 2 p.m. MT*
Game 7: Tuesday, April 9 – Red Deer at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m. MT*
The four-vs-five matchup in the Eastern Conference will feature the Medicine Hat Tigers taking on the Red Deer Rebels. These two teams last met in 2015 when the Tigers defeated the Rebels 4-1 in the first round. Despite Medicine Hat winning the season series, every game was close, with Red Deer taking two of the final three games.
The Tigers are an exciting young team with a dynamic offence. Led by superstar Gavin McKenna and 2024 NHL Draft prospect Andrew Basha, this Medicine Hat team will be hard to stop. Add in the potential of a Cayden Lindstrom return, and this team could be destined for the WHL’s Eastern Final.
As for the Rebels, they are going to need standout performances from goaltenders Chase Wutzke and Rhett Stoesser. While they do have some talented players, such as Kalan Lind, Ollie Josephson, and Mats Lindgren, they will need to play strong defensively and capitalize on mistakes by the Tigers. If they can keep Medicine Hat under three goals a game, they could be on their way to the second round.
Article from the Hockey News Link
The Medicine Hat Tigers and Red Deer Rebels are set to tangle in the postseason for the first time since 2015.
The best-of-seven First Round series starts on Friday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. MST at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat.
Medicine Hat clinched home ice with a 37-23-6-2 campaign that saw them finish second in the Central Division, while the Rebels finished seven points behind their opponents with a 33-26-3-6 record.
The Tigers only have one NHL prospect in defenceman Dru Krebs (Washington Capitals) but boasts a heap of upcoming talent with forwards Cayden Lindstrom, Andrew Basha and Tomas Mrsic considered to be high-end picks in this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
The Tigers are led by standout rookie Gavin McKenna, who is coming off one of the best campaigns a 16-year-old has ever had in the WHL.
His 97-point season helped the Tigers rank as the sixth-highest-scoring team in the league with 280 goals and seven players who have eclipsed 20 goals.
Defence and strong goaltending have been the hallmark of Red Deer’s game this season, with the Rebels ranking among the stingiest clubs in the WHL.
Captain Kai Uchacz completed his second straight 40-plus goal season while NHL prospects Kalan Lind (Nashville Predators) and Mats Lindgren (Buffalo Sabres) have chipped in at both ends of the ice.
The teams clashed six times in the regular season, with Medicine Hat going 4-2-0-0 against Red Deer, though two of the Tigers’ wins required overtime.
Tigers alternate captain Oasiz Wiesblatt led all skaters in goals (four) and assists (eight) for 12 points in six meetings, highlighted by a two-goal performance (including the overtime winner) in a 3-2 win on January 2.
Medicine Hat and Red Deer have faced each other six times in the WHL playoffs, most recently in 2015 when the Tigers defeated the Rebels 4-1 in their First Round Series.
Medicine Hat has won five of the six playoff series, including a seven-game barnburner in 2007 en route to Medicine Hat’s fifth WHL Championship.
From the Tigers Website LINK
2024 WHL Playoffs – Other First Round Matchups
Eastern Conference
(1) Saskatoon Blades vs. (8) Prince Albert Raiders
Game 1: Thursday, March 28 – Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7 p.m. MT
Game 2: Friday, March 29 – Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7 p.m. MT
Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 – Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m. MT
Game 4: Wednesday, April 3 – Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m. MT
Game 5: Friday, April 5 – Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7 p.m. MT*
Game 6: Saturday, April 6 – Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m. MT*
Game 7: Monday, April 8 – Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7 p.m. MT*
(2) Swift Current Broncos vs. (7) Lethbridge Hurricanes
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m. MT
Game 2: Saturday, March 30 – Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m. MT
Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 – Swift Current at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. MT
Game 4: Wednesday, April 3 – Swift Current at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. MT
Game 5: Friday, April 5 – Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m. MT*
Game 6: Sunday, April 7 – Swift Current at Lethbridge, 6 p.m. MT*
Game 7: Tuesday, April 9 – Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m. MT*
(3) Moose Jaw Warriors vs. (6) Brandon Wheat Kings
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m. MT
Game 2: Saturday, March 30 – Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m. MT
Game 3: Wednesday, April 3 – Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7 p.m. CT
Game 4: Thursday, April 4 – Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7 p.m. CT
Game 5: Saturday, April 6 – Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m. MT*
Game 6: Sunday, April 7 – Moose Jaw at Brandon, 6 p.m. CT*
Game 7: Tuesday, April 9 – Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m. MT*
* = if necessary
Western Conference
(1) Prince George Cougars vs. (8) Spokane Chiefs
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m. PT
Game 2: Saturday, March 30 – Spokane at Prince George, 6 p.m. PT
Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 – Prince George at Spokane, 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 4: Wednesday, April 3 – Prince George at Spokane, 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 5: Friday, April 5 – Prince George at Spokane, 7:05 p.m. PT*
Game 6: Monday, April 8 – Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m. PT*
Game 7: Wednesday, April 10 – Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m. PT*
(2) Portland Winterhawks vs. (7) Victoria Royals
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Victoria at Portland, 7 p.m. PT
Game 2: Saturday, March 30 – Victoria at Portland, 6 p.m. PT
Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 – Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 4: Wednesday, April 3 – Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 5: Friday, April 5 – Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m. PT*
Game 6: Sunday, April 7 – Victoria at Portland, 5 p.m. PT*
Game 7: Tuesday, April 9 – Victoria at Portland, 7 p.m. PT*
(3) Everett Silvertips vs. (6) Vancouver Giants
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Vancouver at Everett, 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 2: Saturday, March 30 – Vancouver at Everett, 6:05 p.m. PT
Game 3: Wednesday, April 3 – Everett at Vancouver, 7 p.m. PT
Game 4: Friday, April 5 – Everett at Vancouver, 7 p.m. PT
Game 5: Sunday, April 7 – Vancouver at Everett, 4:05 p.m. PT*
Game 6: Tuesday, April 9 – Everett at Vancouver, 7 p.m. PT*
Game 7: Wednesday, April 10 – Vancouver at Everett, 7:05 p.m. PT*
(4) Wenatchee Wild vs. (5) Kelowna Rockets
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Kelowna at Wenatchee, 7 p.m. PT
Game 2: Saturday, March 30 – Kelowna at Wenatchee, 6 p.m. PT
Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 – Wenatchee at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 4: Wednesday, April 3 – Wenatchee at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 5: Friday, April 5 – Kelowna at Wenatchee, 7 p.m. PT*
Game 6: Sunday, April 7 – Wenatchee at Kelowna, 2:05 p.m. PT*
Game 7: Tuesday, April 9 – Kelowna at Wenatchee, 6 p.m. PT*
* = if necessary