On Friday night in Medicine Hat, Prince George minor hockey product Chase Harrington will accomplish something that eludes most Western Hockey League players during their junior careers.
Harrington and his Spokane Chiefs teammates are playing in the WHL final.
It’s come down to a best-of-seven series against the Medicine Hat Tigers to decide who will hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
The winner earns an all-expenses-paid trip to Rimouski, Que., for the 105th Memorial Cup tournament, May 22 to June 1.
Harrington knows there are hundreds of peers his age who would give anything to be in his shoes heading into the showdown with Gavin McKenna and the Tigers.
“It’s unreal. We have a really close team here and it’s nice to be able to make it this far with this group,” said Harrington. “Obviously we have really good top-end talent, and our depth is really strong as well. We have four lines that can play, three D pairings, and two really good goalies. The way we play together and the skill we have makes us a really good team.
“Just having the opportunity to win a championship is unreal. It’s so special. It’s pretty rare you get to do that, especially against a team like that. They’ve got a lot of top-end talent. I think we’re both high-powered offences with really good power plays. It’ll be a good battle.”
The 17-year-old scored the biggest goal of his life 2:25 into overtime to win Game 2 of the Portland series on April 27 in Spokane. He intercepted a Tyson Jugnauth pass, dragged the puck into open ice, and launched a high wrist shot over the shoulder of Winterhawks goalie Ondrej Štěbeták to cap a 6–5 victory.
“That was unreal. I just got the puck and shot it and it went in. I was so excited to see all the guys jump off the bench — it was pretty sick,” said Harrington.
“It went in and out so fast I didn’t really see it, then all the boys just started jumping on me.”
The Chiefs (45-20-1-2), who had the WHL’s fourth-best regular-season record, opened their playoff run with a five-game series win over the Vancouver Giants, then beat the Victoria Royals in six games before sweeping the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Conference final. They wrapped it up Saturday, giving them six days to prepare for the final.
“Rest is a weapon, so we’ll take this week and enjoy it,” said Harrington.
The Tigers will also benefit from some needed downtime. They’ve reached the final having lost just one playoff game — that came in Game 3 against the Swift Current Broncos. They’ve since reeled off 10 straight wins, dispatching the Broncos in five, then sweeping the Prince Albert Raiders and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
In his rookie season last year, Harrington and the Chiefs were swept in four straight games by the Prince George Cougars — a valuable learning experience for those still with the team.
“It put a chip on our shoulders, for sure,” said Harrington.
Spokane’s dynamic scoring duo — Andrew Cristall and Berkly Catton — have been ferocious finishers in the playoffs, just as they were during the regular season. Cristall, acquired at the trade deadline from the Kelowna Rockets, has topped off his regular-season scoring title by leading all WHL playoff scorers. With 20 goals and 37 points in 14 games, he’s averaging 2.64 points per game. Catton is just one point behind, with eight goals and 28 assists for 36 points.
“I think (Cristall) is one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with. The way he thinks the game is super special. He’s got great deception and a good release, and that’s why he scores so many goals,” said Harrington, who plays on the Chiefs’ second power-play unit.
“Berkly is obviously a prolific scorer as well. He’s our captain, a good leader, and he leads by example and plays the right way.”
Harrington, a left-winger, left Prince George at age 14 to join the Delta Hockey Academy U15 program full time — a move that paid off. He continued to develop and was drafted eighth overall by the Chiefs after his first season at Delta.
He played all 68 games this season, scoring 19 goals and 50 points. In the playoffs, he’s been even more productive, tied for fourth in team scoring with 14 points — including six goals — in 15 games.
Harrington has always had the ability to score, and under new head coach Brad Lauer — a former Edmonton Oil Kings bench boss hired last summer — he’s learned how to become a more complete player.
“With this new coach, it’s just about understanding the full 200 feet. He’s shown us clips that if you play the right way and do the right things, you actually generate more offence,” Harrington said. “Instead of cheating for goals or anything like that, if you play to win, you’ll do well individually too. Just improving those skills has made me a better player.
“It’s always good to get (points), but I’m just trying to focus on putting pucks on net and helping the team win.”
Because of his Oct. 30 birthday, Harrington isn’t eligible for the NHL draft until 2026. But if he keeps progressing at this pace, he’s on track to reach the upper echelon of the draft rankings by this time next year.
All games in the WHL final will be broadcast live on TSN and are available for free live streaming on Victory Plus.
Harrington’s parents, Jennifer and Daryl, plan to be in the crowd at both rinks cheering him on.
