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Andrew Basha’s Medicine Hat Tigers capture the 2025 WHL Championship

Originally posted on Flamesnation | By Mike Gould | Last updated May 17, 2025 1:56 AM ET

Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Basha capped off his return from a five-month injury absence by helping the Medicine Hat Tigers triumph over the Spokane Chiefs in the decisive fifth game of the 2025 WHL Championship Series on Friday night.

Basha, 19, recorded a pair of assists — including the secondary helper on Hunter St. Martin’s series-clinching goal — in Medicine Hat’s 4-2 win in Spokane on Friday, putting him up to six points in five games since returning to the lineup in Game 1.

Presumptive 2026 No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna also scored as Medicine Hat built a 3-0 lead midway through the third period. Spokane, led by Andrew Cristall (WSH), attempted to mount a comeback in the final frame before an empty-net goal by Tigers defenceman Bryce Pickford sealed the deal.

The highlight of Basha’s playoff return came in Game 3 on Tuesday, when he scored one of the nicest goals of the playoffs during 4-on-4 play to help clinch a 6-0 win — a victory that came to define the rest of the series after a back-and-forth first two games.

#Flames prospect Andrew Basha scored a beauty last night in game 3 of the WHL Championship Series

: TSN | WHL pic.twitter.com/iDczQD1yAO

— FlamesNation (@FlamesNation) May 14, 2025

The Flames originally selected Basha in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft . Many Flames fans had hoped the club would pick the local boy on Day 1 of the draft — they instead opted for Matvei Gridin with their second of two first-round selections — but they ended up having it both ways when Basha fell to Calgary at pick No. 41.

The 6’0″, 187-pound Basha racked up 30 goals and 85 points in 63 games with the Tigers during his draft year but was limited to just 29 appearances in the 2024-25 regular season before being sidelined with an ankle injury. After a long, arduous rehabilitation process, Basha hit the ice for the first time in 2025 on May 9 and made an immediate impact, scoring the first goal of the series just 54 seconds into Game 1.

WHO ELSE BUT ANDREW BASHA?!

The @NHLFlames prospect opens the scoring at the #WHLChampionship in his FIRST shift back from injury!

| @TSN_Sports
| @victoryplustv #FeedingtheFuture | #Flames | @tigershockey pic.twitter.com/sLvFrK09u5

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 10, 2025

The Flames signed Basha to a three-year, entry-level contract back on Sept. 29, 2024. He’s eligible to play with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers in 2025-26, or return to the Western League as an overage player.

Of course, Basha’s 2024-25 season is far from over. Now that the Tigers have won the Ed Chynoweth Cup, their next objective is to compete against the London Knights, Rimouski Océanic, and Étienne Morin’s Moncton Wildcats in the 2025 Memorial Cup.

This article first appeared on Flamesnation and was syndicated with permission.

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