PRINCE ALBERT -- The Medicine Hat Tigers were the class of the Eastern Conference during the regular season, and they didn’t leave anything to doubt when it came to that status in their Conference semifinal series with the Prince Albert Raiders.
Harrison Meneghin turned aside all 18 shots he faced as the Tigers took a 3-0 victory in Game 4 on Thursday night at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, giving Medicine Hat a sweep in the best-of-seven series.
The Tigers had previously taken a 6-4 victory in Game 1 on Apr. 12 before downing the Raiders 5-4 in overtime on Apr. 13 and rolling to a 6-1 win in Game 3 on Wednesday night.
It was a commanding showing for Medicine Hat in the deciding game, too, as they were able to limit Prince Albert’s scoring chances all night and generated a ton of scoring opportunities on graduating overage Raiders goaltender Max Hildebrand.
Hildebrand was able to hold the fort in the first period, but the Tigers’ dangerous power play broke through in the second, taking advantage of the third straight minor called on the Raiders.
Tanner Molendyk snapped the scoreless draw, scoring his second of the playoffs on a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and the back of the net at the 4:03 mark of the period.
Medicine Hat’s Gavin McKenna drew an assist on the goal, running his point streak to 49 games, including a WHL-best six goals and 22 points in nine postseason contests.
Medicine Hat captain Oasiz Weisblatt then increased the Tigers’ lead to two goals at the 10:40 mark, with his hard-angle shot from the boards sneaking past Hildebrand’s short side. The goal was Weisblatt’s 10th of the playoffs, tying him for the WHL lead.
The Tigers had an utterly dominant second period by the time things were said and done, outshooting Prince Albert 27-6 in the frame and standing at 44 shots through two.
The Raiders were able to limit any further damage in the period, but Medicine Hat added an insurance marker early in the third.
Hunter St. Martin stripped the puck from a Prince Albert defender at the Raiders blueline and went in on a partial breakaway before scoring his fourth of the postseason.
That’s how things would finish up, and the Tigers would have their four-game sweep.
Hildebrand finished with 54 saves in his final WHL game, while Meneghin had the aforementioned 18 saves for his second shutout of the postseason.
Medicine Hat will now await the winner of the other semifinal series between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Calgary Hitmen, with things there all tied up at two games apiece heading into Friday’s Game 5 in Calgary.
