Tigers Win 14th Straight Against Moose Jaw, 6-3
Published on January 2, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release
Medicine Hat, AB - The Tigers took on the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, January 2nd in Co-op Place for their first matchup of 2026. The Tigers won both previous matchups with the Warriors, both in overtime.
Medicine Hat came into Friday's game as the hottest team in the Western Hockey League with a 13-game win streak preceding them. There were plenty of eyes on the club for their 37th game of the season after news broke earlier in the day that 2025 WHL Champion and Calgary Flame's prospect Andrew Basha would be reassigned to the team and make his season debut Friday night.
Basha opened the game on the starting lineup with fellow 20-year-old forwards Misha Volotovskii and Ethan Neutens. The first shift perfectly foreshadowed how the Tigers were coming into Friday's game: as hot as ever.
After blowing out the Red Deer Rebels 8-0 in their previous matchup, the Tigers carried their offensive pressure into their game with the Warriors. Noah Davidson broke the scoreless tie with his 11th goal of his rookie campaign and his first goal dawning his new jersey number 39. Tyson Moss collected the puck at the point off of a pass from Liam Ruck and fed Davidson with a cross-ice pass through the slot. Davidson put home a one-time slapshot at 9:00 to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Just 0:38 later Bryce Pickford scored his league-leading 28th goal of the season to extend the Tigers' lead. After being named the WHL's December Player of the Month Friday morning, and the Tigers' Labels Player of the Month prior to Friday's game, Pickford showed he had no intention of slowing down. An incredible solo effort that began with a deke in the neutral zone and ended with a toe-drag wrist shot gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
Medicine Hat dominated the shots on goal department in the first period, outshooting their opponent 13-5.
The second was more of the same for the Tigers as they continued to fire shots on net and put steady pressure on the Warriors. They even out-did their shot total from this first period, outshooting Moose Jaw 17-6 in the second frame.
Liam Ruck scored the Tigers' third unanswered goal on a breakaway off of a stretch pass from Niilopekka Muhonen. Ruck put home a bar down wrist shot for his 19th of the year at 4:11.
Less than a minute later Jonas Woo made it 4-0 Tigers with his 19th goal of the year for the eventual game winner. A beautiful wrister from the top of the right circle with traffic in front added to Woo's stellar season at 5:09.
After a pair of shorthanded goals in their previous game, the Tigers penalty kill unit continued to show up on Friday night with another shorthanded goal, this time from Cam Parr. Parr scored his second of the season after a poke check in the defensive end led to a breakaway. The 2006-born forward scored the fifth straight unanswered Tigers goal to make it 5-0.
Moose Jaw got on the board for the first time of the night with a goal from Ethan Semeniuk at 17:15.
The Tigers finished the second period with a four-goal lead and a lot of offensive momentum driving them forward.
The fans got what they paid for in the early stages of the third period as Basha scored his first goal back in the black and orange at 4:25. In a "blink and you'll miss it" type of goal, Basha picked up the puck in his own end sped down the left wing. On a breakaway Basha fired a wrist shot far side for his first WHL goal of the season.
Moose Jaw made sure that Medicine Hat knew the game was not over as they had a strong third period to keep the Tigers in the game. Landen McFadden began to turn the tide with a power play goal at 12:55 to make it 6-2.
Brady Ness was the next to capitalize on the Warriors momentum as he scored his second of the year at 13:32 to make it 6-3.
The Tigers held the Warriors at three goals for the remainder of the game and finished the game with a 6-3 win to make it 14 wins in a row.
Special Teams:
PP: 0/2 - 0.0%
PK: 3/5 - 60.0%
Stringam Law Three Stars:
Liam Ruck (1G, 1A) - Medicine Hat
Bryce Pickford (1G, 1A) - Medicine Hat
Pavel McKenzie (3A) - Moose Jaw
Supplement King Hardest Worker:
Niilopekka Muhonen
The Tigers are back in action on Saturday, January 3rd to take on the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Temple Gardens Centre.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2026
- Late Goal from Preston Lifts Chiefs Past Giants - Vancouver Giants
- Wenatchee Opens 2026 Quickly, Earns 6-2 Victory over Portland Friday - Wenatchee Wild
- Chiefs Open the New Year with Giant Win, Preston Nets Game Winner over Vancouver - Spokane Chiefs
- Broncos Fall, 4-3, in Overtime to Hurricanes in 2026 Opener - Swift Current Broncos
- Rockets Fall, 3-2, in Shootout to Blazers - Kelowna Rockets
- Hawks Come up Short in Wenatchee - Portland Winterhawks
- Tigers Win 14th Straight Against Moose Jaw, 6-3 - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Preview: Americans at Royals - January 3, 2026 - Tri-City Americans
- Warriors Clawed by Tigers - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Oil Kings Unveil Jerseys for Superhero Day on Sunday - Edmonton Oil Kings
- December Ironworker of the Month: F Chase Harrington - Spokane Chiefs
- Thunderbirds Acquire Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Matthew Gard - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Rebels Complete Trades with Kelowna, Everett, Seattle - Red Deer Rebels
- Silvertips Acquire Flyers Prospect Luke Vlooswyk in Trade with Red Deer - Everett Silvertips
- Rockets Acquire Defenseman Keith McInnis from Red Deer - Kelowna Rockets
- Canadiens Prospect Pickford Named Tempo WHL Player of the Month for December - Medicine Hat Tigers
- NHL Prospects Pickford & Dach, 2026 NHL Draft Eligible Ruzicka Headline WHL Monthly Awards for December - WHL
- Rockets Sign 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Selection Drew Larioza - Kelowna Rockets
- Game Preview: Game 37 VS Warriors - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Chiefs Host Giants Friday for First Home Game of 2026 - Spokane Chiefs
- Warriors to Start 2026 against the Tigers - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Game Day Hub: January 2 at Wenatchee - Portland Winterhawks
- Cougars Surrender Late Equalizer, Fall 6-5 in OT - Prince George Cougars
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