
Tigers Hit 50 Wins, Beat Rebels, 8-3, in Regular Season Finale
Published on March 21, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
Medicine Hat, AB - The Tigers hosted the Rebels in their final game of the regular season. Fans packed Co-op Place to the brim to watch the Tigers' annual Team Awards presentation and cheer them on as they chased their fifth 50-win season in franchise history.
The energy from the nearly sold-out crowd was felt by the players from the start as Andrew Basha opened the scoring with his 17th of the year at just 3:34. In his last regular season WHL game, Basha fired a wrist shot from the left circle to put the Tigers up 1-0.
Kade Stengrim scored his 25th of the year at 4:30 to lift the Tigers up 2-0. A pass from Gavin Kor set up Stengrim at the right circle for his seventh goal in four games.
The Tigers kept the pressure on in the first frame and Co-op Place was loving the pace. They added another goal to their lead with Veeti Väisänen's sixth of the season at 13:29. A great shot fake had the Rebels goaltender stumbling and Väisänen put a low wrist shot home to make it 3-0 Tigers.
The Tabbies had one more in them before the end of the period as Liam Ruck picked up a Noah Davidson rebound for his 45th goal of the season.
While the Rebels matched the Tigers in the shots department (11-11), Red Deer only found the back of the net once in the first period. Poul Andersen's 25th of the year at 16:36 made it a 4-1 game at the first intermission.
No time was wasted keeping their momentum going after the intermission as Basha's second of the night came just 0:37 into the middle frame. A centering pass from Yaroslav Bryzgalov set up the 20-year-old forward for his 18th of the season.
Davidson joined the 30-goal club with his tally at 5:11 in the second period. A goal almost identical to Basha's earlier in the period, a centering pass from Liam Ruck helped Davidson make it a 6-1 game.
The Rebels answered back with a power play goal from Talon Brigley at 7:29 to make it 6-2.
The Tigers responded with two power play goals of their own, the first from Markus Ruck at 17:24. A seeing pass from his brother Liam set up Markus for his 21st of the season.
Their second power play goal came from Dayton Reschny just before the end of the third period. Reschny fired a wrist shot from the point for his 11th of the season.
Rebels' goaltender made some astounding saves in the second period but it was not enough to keep the Tabbies away as they peppered the net with 18 shots in the middle frame.
Kalder Varga scored the lone goal of the third period to finalize the score 8-3. The Tigers secured their 50th win of the season, reaching the half-century mark for the first time since 2016-17, and the fifth time in franchise history.
Special Teams:
PP: 2/4 - 50.0%
PK: 2/5 - 40.0%
Stringam Law Three Stars:
Josh Van Mulligen - Medicine Hat
Ethan Neutens - Medicine Hat
Andrew Basha - Medicine Hat
Supplement King Hardest Worker:
Liam Ruck
Stay tuned to the Tigers social media and website for when tickets go live for round one of the 2026 WHL Playoffs.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 21, 2026
- Wild Take Silvertips to Brink in 2025-26 Finale, Fall, 6-5, Saturday in Everett - Wenatchee Wild
- Spokane Dominates Tri-City, 6-1, in Front of Another Sell-Out Home Crowd - Spokane Chiefs
- Winterhawks Fall in Overtime to Thunderbirds, Clinch Postseason Berth - Portland Winterhawks
- Tigers Hit 50 Wins, Beat Rebels, 8-3, in Regular Season Finale - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Vees Cap Record Setting Regular Season with a Win - Penticton Vees
- Rockets Lose, 5-0, to Vees - Kelowna Rockets
- Broncos End off Season on a High Note - Swift Current Broncos
- Warriors' Season Ends with Disappointing Loss to Broncos - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Pats Clinch 2026 WHL Playoff Berth, Set to Face Tigers - Regina Pats
- Americans' Season Ends With 6-1 Loss In Spokane - Tri-City Americans
- Pats Fall 4-2 to Wheat Kings in Regular Season Finale, Clinch Playoff Spot with Warriors Loss - Regina Pats
- Wheat Kings Hit 40-Win Mark with Season Closing Victory over Regina - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Winterhawks Announce 2025-2026 Team Awards - Portland Winterhawks
- 2027 WHL Prospects Game to be Hosted by Brandon Wheat Kings on February 17, 2027 - WHL
- Spokane Chiefs Announce Saturday's Game vs Tri-City Officially Sold Out - Spokane Chiefs
- Game Preview: Vees at Rockets - Penticton Vees
- Oil Kings to Meet Blades in First Round of WHL Playoffs - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Game Preview: Game 68 vs Rebels - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Chiefs Face Rival Americans for Turn Back the Clock Night Saturday - Spokane Chiefs
- Preview: Americans at Chiefs - March 21, 2026 - Tri-City Americans
- Warriors' Playoff Chase Comes Down to Final Game - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Game Day Hub: March 21 vs Seattle - Portland Winterhawks
- Leyerzapf Turns Aside 54 in WHL Debut Friday as Wild Defeat Everett, 5-1 - Wenatchee Wild
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


