SUBSCRIBE! Sign up for our daily newsletter and never miss a story!

(Image Credit: Randy Feere / Medicine Hat Tigers)
Sports

Tigers, Hitmen, set to renew rivalry in second round of WHL Playoffs

Apr 6, 2026 | 10:55 PM

The Medicine Hat Tigers will continue their title defense against their divisional rival, the Calgary Hitmen, in the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.

The matchup was confirmed after the Saskatoon Blades upset the Edmonton Oil Kings in overtime of Game 7 to punch their ticket to the second round.

Medicine Hat went 7-1-0-0 against the Hitmen in the regular season series and is 14-1-1-0 against Calgary over the last two seasons.

Three of the games went to overtime, and four were decided by one goal.

Markus Ruck led all Tigers in scoring against the Hitmen, accumulating 14 points over eight games.

Calgary Flames draft pick and Calgary, Alta., native, Andrew Basha, put up seven points through three games against his hometown club.

Carter Casey went 6-0-0-0 against the Hitmen while boasting a 2.17 GAA and 0.923 SV%.

It will be the first postseason meeting between the two division rivals since they met in the second round of the 2015 WHL Playoffs.

Calgary won that series in five games.

Dates for Games 1 and 2 are TBD, but Games 3 and 4 will be played Monday, April 13th, and Wednesday, April 15th, at 7:00 p.m. MST in Calgary from the Scotiabank Saddledome.