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Whitehorse hockey phenom Gavin McKenna is making his Western Hockey League (WHL) debut Saturday night.

McKenna鈥檚 Medicine Hat Tigers are facing off against the Lethbridge Hurricanes at 6 p.m. Yukon time.

The game is being broadcast on Medicine Hat radio station chat94.5, which can be found online at

McKenna, 14, has had a good pre-season.

鈥淲e won three out of four games, so it was good,鈥� said the young star. 鈥淚 scored my first goal. I also had three assists, so I thought I played pretty well.鈥�

McKenna even drew an assist on an overtime goal against Lethbridge Sep. 10.

鈥淚 had the puck at the blue line. I passed it over to my teammate on the right side. He had a one-on-one and he shot it and he scored bottom left corner and it was pretty awesome.鈥�

As expected, McKenna has had to adjust to the speed of the 鈥淒ub鈥�, as the WHL is known.

鈥淥bviously, the speed was a lot faster. You don鈥檛 have much time to think out there ... Obviously, they鈥檙e a lot bigger, stronger, so you鈥檝e gotta have your head up at all times.鈥�

McKenna has had a great welcome in the 鈥淗at.鈥�

鈥淭hey鈥檝e been great to me. I鈥檝e had guys hanging out with me outside of the rink so that鈥檚 been pretty awesome. Coaches and trainers have been awesome to me. Roommates and billets have been really good to me. It鈥檚 been awesome.鈥�

Needless to say, McKenna is stoked about his first WHL game.

鈥淥bviously, there鈥檚 a bit of nerves but that鈥檚 sometimes a good thing but I鈥檓 pretty excited. It鈥檚 gonna be lots of fun finally playing in front of a big crowd. My family鈥檚 obviously coming to watch so that鈥檒l be cool to see them again. It should be a lot of fun.鈥�

The young scorer will be playing left wing, where he played all pre-season. It hasn鈥檛 been determined which line he鈥檒l be playing on.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not decided yet 鈥� we鈥檙e trying lots of different things right now in practices, so we鈥檒l have to see.鈥�

McKenna started on the first line in one of the pre-season games.

鈥淚t was good ... I feel like starting, there鈥檚 a lot more nerves than waiting one or two shifts, but it went well.鈥�

McKenna said he is completely healthy going into the season.

Because of his young age, McKenna is limited to five games during the regular season, although there have been efforts to have the league allow him to play more.

鈥淚 think my coach Willie (Desjardins) said that we were gonna spread 鈥榚m out throughout the year,鈥� related McKenna. 鈥淚鈥檓 playing with another team, the South Alberta Hockey Academy (SAHA). It鈥檚 in the midget league that I was in last year, so I鈥檒l be playing lots of games with them as well.鈥�

The SAHA, located in Medicine Hat is in the CSSHL U18 league.

Not surprisingly, McKenna鈥檚 parents are thrilled that he鈥檚 making his WHL debut.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e been texting me quite a bit, telling me how excited they are and wishing me good luck. They鈥檙e definitely excited,鈥� said the young McKenna.

McKenna鈥檚 mon, Krystal, agrees.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all definitely pretty excited about it. Looking forward to seeing how it goes and how he does and we鈥檙e super excited to just get down there and see him, too.

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 going to be about fifteen of us going down to watch him from here.

鈥淎nd then we鈥檒l have some other people there that we鈥檙e meeting to join us and sit with us during the game so we can all cheer for him.鈥�

鈥淪o far, he seems to be fitting right in. He鈥檚 having fun and doing well,鈥� she added.

McKenna鈥檚 dad Willy is excited as well.

鈥淎 little nervous for him but very excited and looking forward to watching the game. We鈥檙e gonna have, I think, about 13 friends and family members down there so some from down in Alberta and then the rest from Whitehorse, so it鈥檚 gonna be a fun weekend.鈥�

Mckenna, understandably, is proud of his son.

鈥淎bsolutely. He鈥檚 played three pre-season games so far and he鈥檚 fitting in really well. Comments we鈥檝e heard back form the coaches ... is that he鈥檚 a really WHL-ready this year, but because of his age he鈥檚 not allowed to play a full season there but hopefully they鈥檒l get him in as many games as they can.

鈥淗e鈥檚 had a fair bit of success. He鈥檚 had four points in three games in the pre-season, so he鈥檚 fitting in really well and he鈥檚 liking his team, liking the coaches, liking Medicine Hat 鈥� all around, it鈥檚 been a good thing so far.鈥�

The elder Mckenna is hoping to see his son in more games this year.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping so 鈥� the coaches don鈥檛 want to make promises that they might not be able to keep.鈥�

鈥淎fter the regular season, he can play full-time in the playoffs. We鈥檙e hoping the Medicine Hat Tigers have a good season and go far in the playoffs.鈥�

Willy McKenna is pleased with Gavin鈥檚 WHL success so far.

鈥淗e鈥檚 been on the power play, they鈥檙e giving him lots of opportunities and he鈥檚 had some success already, so he鈥檚 in a good spot for sure.鈥�

Willy McKenna added 鈥淚 guess everybody鈥檚 just excited and hoping he does well and we鈥檙e quite confident he will do well.鈥�