Report: McKenna, Lindstrom return to Medicine Hat in Game 5 of WHL Final
Published
Phenom Gavin McKenna is back in action on Friday as his Medicine Hat Tigers look to clinch the Ed Chynoweth Cup in Game 5 of the Western Hockey League Championship Series against the Spokane Chiefs, according to James Tubb of the Medicine Hat News.
The 6-foot winger missed Games 3 and 4 of the series while dealing with an undisclosed injury. McKenna participated in the pregame skate prior to Tuesday's Game 3, but was unable to play in the game.
Medicine Hat beat the Chiefs 6-0 in Game 3 and then won 5-2 in Wednesday's Game 4, giving them a 3-1 series advantage and the opportunity to book their ticket to the Memorial Cup.
McKenna leads the Tigers in postseason scoring with eight goals and 37 points in 15 playoff games and is third in WHL playoff scoring behind Chiefs forwards Andrew Cristall and Berkly Catton.
The 17-year-old had a 54-game point streak snapped during the Tigers' 6-2 loss in Game 2, which is a modern Canadian Hockey League record.
McKenna finished the regular season second in WHL scoring with 41 goals and 129 points, three points behind Cristall.
Forward Cayden Lindstrom is also returning to the lineup on Friday after he missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury.
Lindstrom, a Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, missed the entire regular season and the first three rounds of the playoffs while recovering from back surgery.
The 6-foot-3 centre has left Game 3 in the second period after sustaining a hit from Chiefs defenceman Saige Weinstein. He returned to the bench for the third period but didn't return to the ice and missed Game 4.
Lindstrom has two goals and four points in three playoff games.
Medicine Hat is in their first WHL Championship Series since they won the title during the 2006-07 campaign and are looking for the franchise's sixth championship, which would tie the Kamloops Blazers for the most in WHL history.