Prince Albert, Sask.- The Medicine Hat Tigers outlasted a furious Prince Albert push- and held the Raiders’ potent powerplay scoreless on five opportunities- in a dramatic 3-1 win in the latest edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub.
Notably, top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna extended his league-best point streak to 30 games with his 67th assist of the campaign.
Both netminders were named stars of the game with veteran Max Hildebrand stopping 37 of 39 attempts and Medicine Hat’s Jordan Switzer saving 32.
The win sees the Tabbies maintain their grip on first place in the Central Division and Eastern Conference, though Prince Albert still leads the East Division and sits second in the conference standings.
The Tigers’ revenge comes just days after the Raiders iced a 5-4 overtime victory in Medicine Hat.
Jonas Woo struck first with a screened wrister to get the visitors on the board, with Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt picking up the assist.
The 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward is sitting on 99 career points.
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Roughly five minutes later, Utah Hockey Club defensive prospect Veeti Vaisanen ripped a long breakout pass to send Wiesblatt in on a breakaway to double the lead.
Wiesblatt burst down the ice, froze Max Hildebrand with a fake shot and deftly deked the puck into the yawning cage to make it 2-0 for Medicine Hat after 20 minutes.
Nashville Predators prospect and 2025 WHL Trade Deadline acquisition Tanner Molendyk was also awarded an assist on the play.
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In the middle frame, Hildeband kept his team in it with a sensational sprawling kick save to deny the Ruck twins on another odd-man rush.
What a save by Hilty to keep it a two goal game! pic.twitter.com/LAGV4FXQJr
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) February 13, 2025
The 20-year-old served up another slew of game-changing stops on an ensuring powerplay to hold Medicine Hat to a two-goal lead.
Hildebrand’s standout play gave the Raiders a chance to haul down the ice and start to pepper Jordan Switzer with shots as Harrison Lodewyk squeaked a shot through the Tabbies netminder’s pads to cut the deficit in half.
Alternate captain Niall Crocker and Seattle Kraken pick Lukas Dragicevic snagged the assists.
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The Raiders rifled 13 shots on the Tigers’ net in the third period alone but was unable to solve Switzer down the stretch.
Marcus Pachecho iced the game with an empty-netter with 32 seconds to play. McKenna picked up the all-important helper and Minnesota Wild prospect and former Raiders standout Ryder Ritchie got the secondary assist.
The Raiders (28-18-3-1) play host to the Swift Current Broncos (27-21-1-1) on Friday, February 14 at 7:00 p.m. ST.
Medicine Hat (35-16-3-1) returns to Alberta to open up a four-game homestand with a tilt against the Regina Pats ( 14-31-4-2) on Saturday, February 15 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
Next week’s Wednesday Night in the Dub matchup sees 2024 WHL Champion and Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager‘s Lethbridge Hurricanes play host to Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Evan Gardner and the Saskatoon Blades.
Puck drops between the Eastern Conference rivals at 7:00 p.m. MST on Wednesday, February 19.
Wednesday Night in The Dub is available for fans as a freeview opportunity through the WHL’s YouTube channel and WHL Live on CHL TV.
