The Medicine Hat Tigers at practice on March 28, 2023. (Photo Courtesy Chris Brown)

By Chris Brown

Tigers start playoff hunt tonight in Winnipeg

Mar 31, 2023 | 4:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The second season starts tonight for the Medicine Hat Tigers, who return to the Western Hockey League playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Squeaking into the postseason in the eighth and final playoff spot in their last game of the season, the Tigers face the WHL’s top team in the first round. The Winnipeg Ice ran through the league all season and ended the year with 115 points, well ahead of the Tigers total of 69.

“They’re a really good team, really really high-end, lots of skill,” Tigers head coach and GM Willie Desjardins said this week. “For us we have to be smart, we gotta manage the puck you know and everybody has to work. It’s this time of year if you’re working hard you can cover up some mistakes. So for us it’s all about everybody playing and everybody playing hard.”

The Tigers won once in four games against the Ice this season, a 6-4 victory in Medicine Hat on March 1. The Tigers lost 5-2 at home on Oct. 1, and dropped 8-3 and 3-1 decisions on Jan. 14 and March 7 in Winnipeg.

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Oasiz Weisblatt led the Tigers with 60 points on the season and was named to the Central Division Second All-Star Team. He was followed closely this season by Brendan Lee’s 59 points and Andrew Basha’s 56.

Zach Benson’s 98 points led the Ice with Matthew Savoie at 95 and Connor McClennon at 92 next in line. Benson and McClennon were named to the East Division First All-Star Team along with defenceman Ben Zloty and goaltender Daniel Hauser. Savoie was named to the East Division Second All-Star Team.

Games 1 and 2 are Friday and Saturday in Winnipeg and Games 3 and 4 are at Co-op Place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

You’ll be able to hear all the Tigers playoff action live on Wild 94.5 with voice of the Tigers Gino De Paoli. Puck drop tonight is at 6 p.m. mountain time.

Tickets for both the Tuesday and Wednesday games are still available at tixx.ca and the Co-op Place box office.