The Medicine Hat Tigers celebrate a 4-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs in Game 1 of the WHL Championship Series. Photo Credit: Randy Feere/Medicine Hat Tigers

By Will Bryant

SPORTS

Basha and Lindstrom aid in return as Tigers tackle Chiefs in Game 1 of the WHL final

May 9, 2025 | 11:40 PM

Medicine Hat Tigers forward Andrew Basha scored on his first shot back from injury less than a minute into Game 1 to kick off the Western Hockey League Championship series with a bang. 

It set the tone for the rest of Game 1 inside Co-op Place which saw a strong Tigers squad battle the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-1 victory.

Basha, who had been absent from the Tigers lineup since December 28th due to injury, was helped by Hunter St. Martin and Cayden Lindstrom, also back from injury. 

Bryce Pickford followed up to make it a two-goal Tiger lead six minutes later, with a little help from Gavin McKenna.

The game would stay a two-goal Tiger lead until early in the third frame when Chiefs forward Berkly Catton found the back of the net to shrink the deficit to one.

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The response from the Tigers was swift.

Ethan Neutens scored an insurance tally just over one minute later to restore the Tiger two-goal advantage. 

Tanner Molendyk added an empty net tally in the dying minutes to ensure the Tiger victory as the Cats took Game 1 of the WHL Championship Series.

Game 2 of this best of seven goes Sunday night inside Co-op Place at 7 p.m. with the pre-game show getting underway at 6:30 p.m. on WILD 94.5.