Medicine Hat Tigers Win Game 1 of 2025 Memorial Cup

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Medicine Hat Tigers Win Game 1 of 2025 Memorial Cup

May 23, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Rimouski, Que. - It seemed like the opening match of the 2025 Memorial Cup was destined for overtime.

Hunter St. Martin had other ideas.

The Florida Panthers eked out a clutch late tally to lift the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 5-4 victory against the host Rimouski Oceanic on Friday night.

Tabbies alternate captain Gavin McKenna was named the Player of the Game with a game-tying goal and assist on Ryder Ritchie's opening strike.

GAME PHOTOS & HIGHLIGHTS

Photo Credit: Vincent Ethier

GAME SUMMARY

MEMORIAL CUP STATS & STANDINGS

"That was one of the hardest teams we played this year," McKenna added. "we had guys selling out all game and you know guys were blocking shots at the end of the game there. So I think it just shows how bad we wanted it."

Ritchie, a Minnesota Wild prospect, quieted the crowd with the first goal of the tournament just over halfway through the first period.

With the Tigers pressuring off a faceoff win, McKenna batted the puck over netminder Mathis Langevin, where it tipped off the crossbar and fluttered to a wide-open Ritchie on the other side to bat the puck between the legs of a defender and into the cage.

The Oceanic would level the score with a powerplay goal with 20 seconds left in the period to get the building back on its feet.

Mael Lavigne faked out a Tigers defender to feed Anaheim Ducks prospect Alexandre Blais for a back-door tap-in.

Rimouski rode the momentum into the second period, despite being markedly outshot.

Just as a second Medicine Hat powerplay was expiring near the halfway mark of the game, the Tigers turned the puck over in their own end, leaving Mael St-Denis all alone in the slot to pick a top-shelf shot to give the host team their first lead of the tournament.

2025 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Bryce Pickford found a late equalizer as he continued a torrid scoring pace.

Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk teed up Pickford for a powerful wrister from his office- the right faceoff dot- to net a goal in a ninth consecutive game.

Pickford, from Chauvin, Alta., is coming off a playoff run that saw him set a modern league record (1996-present) for goals in consecutive playoff games by a defenceman with 10 tallies in eight-straight games.

The 6-foot, 190-pound rearguard also boasts the most goals by a CHL defenceman in a single playoff run (13) since the 2000 Playoffs.

However, the Oceanic put themselves back in front just two minutes later on another powerplay.

Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford's point shot tipped off of Captain Jacob Mathieu's stick and fluttered over the shoulder of Meneghin and trickled into the net for the go-ahead goal.

Langevin followed up the goal with a sensational save on Gavin McKenna as the Whitehorse sensation streaked down the ice on a partial breakaway.

The Tabbies unleashed early in the final frame as they forced Langevin to make a trio of tremendous stops on Ritchie and Wiesblatt.

Pickford continued to raise his stock with another laserbeam through traffic to force his team back to even footing.

"He's pretty incredible young man," Tigers General Manager and Head Coach Willie Desjardins said. "It's not just his on ice stuff. He works so hard off ice. He creates a culture for our team and he's huge that way. But he's got a great shot and he finds a way, and we've got some guys that find a way to get him the puck when he's open. So it's great for us. We needed both those goals."

The pour-on continued as Wiesblatt managed to spring McKenna for a second breakaway attempt- and this time he wouldn't be denied as he snapped the high blocker side for his first goal of the tournament and a 4-3 lead.

But the penalties continued to bite the Tigers.

A tripping call with just under eight minutes remaining put Rimouski back on the man advantage, where Jonathan Fauchon went down to one knee to tuck the puck just under the crossbar.

The chippiness between the teams mounted as the clock ticked down, and coincidental unsportsmanlike conduct calls against Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Basha and St-Denis saw the ice open up with four-on-four play.

With a burst of speed, St. Martin burst down the left wing and drove the net, maintaining possession after his initial attempt was denied.

Tanner Molendyk muscled a centering pass for St. Martin to tip home the dagger, capping off a three-goal period for the comeback victory.

"That's the family piece- we need to stick together in those moments," St. Martin said of the team's message at the second intermission. "We know we can come back, no matter what we're down. I think we just came together as a group and knew that if we played Tigers hockey, we have a chance in any hockey game. So I think that was the message in there. If we do what we can and control what we can control, anything can happen."

Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin saved 20 of 24 shots, with three goals against coming on Rimouski powerplays and one coming moments after a powerplay expired.

The Tigers went 1/3 on the powerplay while outshooting the Oceanic 38-22.

In a twist of fate, the win comes exactly 18 years after Medicine Hat's last win at the prestigious tournament- a 1-0 win against the host Vancouver Giants at the 2007 Memoral Cup.

Medicine Hat (1-0) returns to action on Monday, May 26, against the QMJHL Champion Moncton Wildcats (0-0) at 5:00 p.m. MST.

TSN will carry the match for viewers in Canada, while those in the United States and around the world can stream the Memorial Cup on Victory+.

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