Knights defeat Wildcats to punch ticket to 2025 Memorial Cup final vs. Tigers

Rimouski, QC – MAY 30: Semi-Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Moncton Wildcats and the London Knights on May 30, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — One year after falling short in the 2024 championship, the London Knights have earned a shot at redemption.

With a 5-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats in Friday’s semi-final, the Knights advanced to Sunday’s title game and became just the sixth team in the past 40 years to reach back-to-back Memorial Cup finals — a feat last achieved by the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010.

London got goals from Landon Sim, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Denver Barkey, Ottawa Senators prospect Blake Montgomery, New York Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi, and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan. Knights’ goaltender Austin Elliott made 21 saves in the win.

Moncton responded with goals from 2025 NHL Draft prospect Caleb Desnoyers and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dyllan Gill, while Mathis Rousseau stopped 32 shots in the loss.

“All around, I thought that was our best game of the tournament so far,” Cowan said. “We had a really good first, kind of laid back in the second, but our third was probably our best period of the tournament so far.

“We had everyone scoring today, got lots of depth, and it was a huge win for us.”

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
POST-GAME LONDON
POST-GAME MONCTON
POST-GAME MONCTON – GARDINER MACDOUGALL
POST-GAME MONCTON – CALEB DESNOYERS

Tied 2-2 after two periods, the London Knights pulled away in the third, scoring three unanswered goals to punch their ticket to the final.

Blake Montgomery netted the game-winner at 3:35 — his first of the tournament — after slipping behind Dyllan Gill and burying a cross-ice feed from San Jose Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson, who had jump-started the play off a missed shot by Caleb Desnoyers.

Jesse Nurmi added insurance at 13:11, capitalizing on a heads-up play by Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien, who drove forward on a faceoff and fed Nurmi for his first of the tournament. Easton Cowan sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:11.

The Knights will now face Medicine Hat in Sunday’s final at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

“I think our experience took over [tonight],” Cowan said. “We’ve got a lot of older guys on team, a lot of guys that have been there to help close it out.”

“We know we had a tough opponent on the other side, national championship semifinal,” shared Gill post-game. “It’s heartbreaking, and I think every guy in our room is going to have a little bit of regret and what if in their head, but ultimately super proud of the group.”

Through 40 minutes, both teams had traded goals in each period.

London opened the scoring just 4:07 in, as Oliver Bonk’s shot missed the net, the puck bounced right to Landon Sim, who circled from behind the net and tucked in his first of the tournament on a wraparound.

Moncton drew level with 1:40 left in the frame when Caleb Desnoyers ripped a power-play snipe from the left faceoff dot for his first of the tournament.

The Knights regained the lead at 5:24 of the second, as Easton Cowan pulled goaltender Mathis Rousseau wide before threading a perfect pass across the crease for captain Denver Barkey to blast home a one-timer — his first of the tournament.

Moncton responded again just over two minutes later, tying it at 2-2 on a power-play marker from Dyllan Gill, who wired home his third of the Memorial Cup with a sharp wrist shot. From there, however, the Wildcats couldn’t break through in the third against a determined Knights squad.

“It means everything,” Sim said. “We were playing for this all year to get back in that game.”

The Knights will now face the Medicine Hat Tigers on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, with the winner set to join the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, and Windsor Spitfires as the only CHL clubs to capture a record three Memorial Cup titles since 1972.

Sunday’s championship game will mark the London Knights’ fifth appearance in a Memorial Cup final since 1972, breaking a tie for third-most all-time and placing them behind only the Kitchener Rangers and Peterborough Petes, who each have six. It’s also the second straight year the Knights have reached the Memorial Cup final, after falling in heartbreaking fashion to the Saginaw Spirit in 2024 on a goal surrendered in the final minute of regulation.

Conversely, Sunday will mark the Tigers’ first appearance in a Memorial Cup final in 18 years, after they became the first WHL team to advance directly to the championship game since the Kelowna Rockets did so in 2009 — the last time the tournament was held in Rimouski. Medicine Hat will be aiming to end an 11-year drought for the WHL by becoming the league’s first team to hoist the Memorial Cup since 2014.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Sunday, June 1 – London Knights vs. Medicine Hat Tigers

OHL ANNOUNCES 2024-25 ALL-STAR AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the first, second and third all-star team selections, in addition to the first and second all-rookie team designations for the 2024-25 season.

OHL all-star and all-rookie teams were selected by the OHL’s General Managers, with voting conducted in two stages beginning with a Conference ballot followed by a final ballot that integrated the top selections from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Skaters were required to play at least 25 regular season games to be eligible for the voting.

A total of 13 of the league’s 20 member teams are represented on this year’s all-star and all-rookie team selections, with the OHL champion London Knights fielding a league-leading seven for the second straight year. The Eastern Conference champion Oshawa Generals trail with five players included while the Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires each feature four.

2024-25 OHL All-Star Teams:

Representatives with major positional awards in brackets are default first team members, all other designations are determined by votes cast by OHL General Managers

First All-Star Team:
Centre – Michael Misa (Saginaw) (Most Outstanding Player) – voted first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Left Wing – Liam Greentree (Windsor) – voted third all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Right Wing – Nick Lardis (Brantford)
Defence – Sam Dickinson (London) (Defenceman of the Year) – voted second all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Defence – Zayne Parekh (Saginaw) – voted first all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Goaltender – Jackson Parsons (Kitchener) (Goaltender of the Year)
Coach – Jussi Ahokas (Kitchener) (Coach of the Year)

Second All-Star Team:
Centre – Ilya Protas (Windsor)
Left Wing – Denver Barkey (London) – voted second all-star team in 2023-24
Right Wing – Easton Cowan (London) – voted first all-star team in 2023-24, second all-rookie team in 2022-23
Defence – Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie)
Defence – Oliver Bonk (London) – voted first all-star team in 2023-24, second all-rookie team in 2022-23
Goaltender – Carter George (Owen Sound) – voted third all-star team and first all-rookie team in 2023-24
Coach – Dale Hunter (London) – ninth time being voted to an OHL all-star team

Third All-Star Team:
Centre – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa) – voted second all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2021-22
Left Wing – Jacob Battaglia (Kingston)
Right Wing – Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa) – voted second all-rookie team in 2022-23
Defence – Luca Marrelli (Oshawa)
Defence – Ben Danford (Oshawa)
Goaltender – Austin Elliott (London)
Coach – Jay McKee (Brantford) – voted third all-star team in 2021-22

2024-25 OHL All-Rookie Teams:

First All-Rookie Team:
Centre – Lev Katzin (Guelph)
Left Wing – Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound) (Rookie of the Year)
Right Wing – Dimian Zhilkin (Saginaw)
Defence – Chase Reid (Sault Ste. Marie)
Defence – Kohyn Eshkawkogan (Ottawa)
Goaltender – Aleksei Medvedev (London)

Second All-Rookie Team:
Centre – Beckham Edwards (Sarnia)
Left Wing – Ethan Belchetz (Windsor)
Right Wing – Jacob Cloutier (Saginaw)
Defence – Carter Hicks (Windsor)
Defence – Simon Wang (Oshawa)
Goaltender – Colin Ellsworth (Guelph)

Historical results of note:

  • The London Knights match the franchise record of seven players voted to all-star/all-rookie teams established in 2023-24, leading all OHL clubs
  • The Kitchener Rangers have multiple first all-star team members (Parsons, Ahokas) for the first time since 2007-08 (Justin Azevedo, Matt Halischuk)
  • The Saginaw Spirit have multiple first all-star team members (Misa, Parekh) for the first time since 2011-12 (Brandon Saad, Greg Gilbert)
  • Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh is the first blueliner to be voted to back-to-back first all-star teams since 2019 (London’s Evan Bouchard)
  • Windsor Spitfires centreman Ilya Protas is the first Belarusian player voted to an OHL all-star team since 2006-07 (London’s Sergei Kostitsyn)
  • Ottawa 67’s defenceman Kohyn Eshkawkogan is the first 67’s blueliner to be voted to a first all-rookie team since 1998-99 (Luke Sellars)
  • Sarnia Sting centreman Beckham Edwards is the first Sting player voted to an all-rookie team since 2018-19 (Jacob Perreault)
  • London Knights goaltender Aleksei Medvedev gives the Knights a netminder voted to the first all-rookie team in three of the past five seasons (Zach Bowen, 2022-23, Brett Brochu, 2019-20)
  • Guelph Storm netminder Colin Ellsworth is the first Storm goaltender voted to an all-rookie team since 2013-14 (Matthew Mancina)

Wildcats advance to 2025 Memorial Cup semi-final after defeating Océanic

Rimouski, QC – MAY 28: Round Robin game 6 of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Moncton Wildcats and the Rimouski Océanic on May 28, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — The Moncton Wildcats clinched a spot in the 2025 Memorial Cup semi-finals with a commanding 6-2 win over the host Rimouski Océanic on Wednesday night.

Utah Hockey Club prospect Gabe Smith led the way with two goals, while Julius Sumpf, St. Louis Blues prospect Juraj Pekarcik, Calgary Flames prospect Étienne Morin, and Alex Mercier also found the back of the net. Goaltender Mathis Rousseau turned aside 32 shots in the victory. Rimouski responded with goals from Maël St-Denis and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford, with Mathis Langevin making 27 saves.

Holding a narrow 3-2 lead after two periods, the Wildcats pulled away with a dominant third. Morin delivered the key insurance marker just over four minutes in, ripping a low wrister from the top of the left circle to restore a two-goal cushion before Smith and Mercier sealed the win with a pair of empty-netters.

“(MacDougall) gave us a special talk in the room,” said Smith about the first-period intermission, which the Wildcats entered trailing the Océanic 2-1. “We got a little jump in our step after that and started playing our game.

“Coach is a very special motivator, and I think he did a great job of it there. We started playing our hockey after that.”

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
POST-GAME RIMOUSKI
POST-GAME MONCTON – GARDINER MACDOUGALL
POST-GAME MONCTON

The win sets up a semi-final clash against the OHL champion London Knights on Friday at 7 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. AT. The two teams previously met in the round-robin, where London narrowly defeated Moncton 3-2 in overtime.

Moncton opened the scoring at 7:39 of the first period when Julius Sumpf ended the team’s forward scoring drought. The German forward slipped behind the Rimouski defence and buried a crisp feed from Juraj Pekarcik, becoming the first Wildcats forward to score in the tournament.

Rimouski responded with a pair of goals in under four minutes to carry a 2-1 lead into the intermission. Maël St-Denis notched his second of the tournament by finishing a rebound on the backhand at 13:27, and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford struck at 17:11 with a well-timed redirection of Olivier Théberge’s cross-ice pass.

The second period swung in Moncton’s favour. NHL prospects Juraj Pekarcik and Gabe Smith each scored to put the Wildcats back on top. Pekarcik tipped in a point shot from Predators prospect Dylan MacKinnon just 1:27 into the frame, while Smith pounced on a bouncing puck off the end boards at 4:05 following a deflected shot by Preston Lounsbury.

“I had trouble to find words in the room, I just told them, ‘Thank you,”‘ shared Océanic head coach Joël Perrault about what he told his group post-game. “It’s a group that tied together quickly, and I’ll remember them for a long time, I’m disappointed for them tonight, our fans.

“Our fans saw their effort, their resilience, the injuries they fought through.”

When they face the Knights in Friday’s semi-final at 7 p.m. ET, the Wildcats will look to secure just their second trip to the Memorial Cup final and their first since 2006. As the only team in this year’s tournament yet to capture the trophy, Moncton is in pursuit of its first-ever CHL championship title.

Conversely, the London Knights are looking to become just the fifth team in the last 35 years to reach back-to-back Memorial Cup finals, joining an exclusive group last achieved by the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010. A victory on Friday would also mark London’s 18th all-time Memorial Cup tournament win, giving them sole possession of second place on the all-time wins list. Additionally, it would secure their fifth appearance in a Memorial Cup final since 1972 — moving them into second place all-time behind only the Kitchener Rangers and Peterborough Petes, who each have six.

The Medicine Hat Tigers will face the winner of Friday’s semi-final between the London Knights and Moncton Wildcats in Sunday’s championship game. The Tigers are making their first trip to the Memorial Cup final in 18 years after becoming the first WHL team to advance directly to the title game since the Kelowna Rockets accomplished the feat in 2009 — the last time the tournament was held in Rimouski. On Sunday, Medicine Hat will be looking to become the first WHL team to lift the Memorial Cup in 11 years.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Semi-Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Friday, May 30 – Moncton Wildcats vs. London Knights
Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Saturday, June 1 – TBD vs. Medicine Hat Tigers

CHL Announces New Multi-Year Partnerships with Under Armour & Bauer Hockey as Official Outfitting & Equipment Suppliers

TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) alongside its Member Leagues – the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – is proud to announce two significant multi-year partnerships that will shape the future of its on-ice performance and fan experience. 

Beginning with the 2025-26 season, Under Armour will become the exclusive jersey and socks and exclusive training footwear and apparel partner of the CHL, its Member Leagues, and 61 Clubs, while Bauer will serve as the official equipment supplier. These landmark agreements are set to run through the 2030-31 season, reinforcing the ongoing commitment of the CHL and its Member Leagues to supporting its players and delivering exceptional quality to its fans across the world.

Under Armour Named Exclusive Jersey Supplier

As part of this new partnership, Under Armour becomes the exclusive supplier of game jerseys, practice jerseys, sublimated theme jerseys, and authentic replica jerseys for fans across all CHL Member Leagues. Starting in 2025-26, players in the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL will hit the ice in elite-level, Under Armour–branded pro-authentic jerseys and socks for every team-controlled game, event, practice, and camp. The partnership also includes exclusive access to Under Armour’s cutting-edge training apparel and footwear.

“This partnership delivers not only enhanced gear for our athletes and clubs from the WHL, OHL and QMJHL, but also innovative merchandise for all of our fans across the CHL,” stated Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “We are excited to see the CHL’s future take the ice in Under Armour uniforms. These jerseys represent more than just a new look – they reflect a shared commitment to performance, innovation, and style. With Under Armour, we’re equipping our players with elite-level apparel designed to meet the demands of today’s game, while also giving fans new ways to connect with their teams through high-quality, authentic merchandise. It’s a significant step forward for the CHL, its Member Leagues, and our 61 Clubs — benefiting players on the ice and fans in the stands.”

“Under Armour is known for our relentless innovation in performance products, and we’re excited to outfit CHL athletes,” said Craig Cummings, Vice-President of Team Division at Under Armour. “From training to competition and recovery, we’re committed to providing the performance solutions these athletes need to compete at their highest potential.”

Under Armour will also play a key role in supporting major CHL events, including the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, underscoring the brand’s deep commitment to player development and fan engagement. For the 2025 edition of this premier cross-border showcase, Under Armour will produce and supply custom-designed jerseys for Team CHL – offering players a bold, one-of-a-kind look that matches the intensity of the competition. These exclusive uniforms will capture the spirit of the event while upholding the high-performance standards synonymous with Under Armour products. They will be produced by Momentec, the manufacturer of Under Armour licensed uniforms.

Bauer Named Official Equipment Supplier of the CHL

Beginning in the 2025–26 season, Bauer will proudly become the official equipment supplier of the CHL, helping power the next generation of stars with the game’s most innovative gear. From sticks to helmets, gloves, and under protective gear, CHL players will take the ice with Bauer’s most advanced equipment, trusted by the best and built for ultimate performance and protection. 

This exclusive partnership reflects a shared commitment to safety, innovation, and excellence at every level of the game. Athletes will also continue to have access to Bauer skates, goal equipment, and team apparel – ensuring players have access to the tools they need to compete at the highest level.

“From grassroots hockey to the world’s biggest stages, Bauer has demonstrated a deep commitment to innovation, safety, and performance – values that align perfectly with our mission to foster excellence both on and off the ice,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “A long-standing champion of player development at all levels, Bauer shares our unwavering commitment to the growth and long-term success of our players from across the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL. This new partnership ensures that players in the CHL will benefit from top-tier protective gear as they continue to grow into the leaders and stars of tomorrow.”

“We’re looking forward to our new partnership with the CHL and providing our most innovative equipment to its athletes through our industry-leading Elite Athlete Services team,” said Mary-Kay Messier, Chief Marketing Officer, Bauer Hockey. “As important, together with the CHL, we are committed to advancing our shared values. It’s more important than ever to demonstrate the important role the CHL plays not only in showcasing some of the game’s top prospects on the ice, but also in developing leaders off the ice. Hockey creates lifelong friendships, instills the importance of playing as a team, and builds character, and through its scholarships, career counseling, and other programs, our partnership can help elevate and amplify these important leadership facets outside the arena.”

Like Under Armour, Bauer will also support CHL events, including the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, the latter of which is a two-game series that sees the top NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s Member Leagues (WHL, OHL & QMJHL) compete against those from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP) Under-18 Team.

Both partnerships will debut during training camps ahead of the 2025-26 season, with new gear and jerseys hitting the ice for the first time across the WHL, OHL and the QMJHL. Retail availability for fans, including new authentic and tiered replica jerseys, will be announced closer to the start of the 2025-26 campaign. Both partnerships mark a new chapter in CHL history, delivering the highest standards of performance, safety, and style on and off the ice.

Tigers defeat Knights to advance to 2025 Memorial Cup Final

Rimouski, QC – MAY 27: Round Robin game 47 of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the London Knights and the Medicine Hat Tigers on May 27, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — The Medicine Hat Tigers (3-0) advanced to the final of the 2025 Memorial Cup Tuesday night after a 3-1 win over the London Knights (2-1) at Sun Life Financial Coliseum on Tuesday night.

Medicine Hat scored three unanswered goals to secure the win after trailing early, while 2025 WHL Playoffs MVP and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin was named Player of the Game after steering aside 25 of 26 shots for a .972 save percentage.

Ethan Neutens, Mathew Ward, and Minnesota Wild prospect Ryder Ritchie found the back of the net for Medicine Hat, while San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen scored the lone goal for London. Austin Elliott turned aside 27 shots in the Knights’ loss.

“I thought the difference tonight was Meneghin in net,” Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said. “I thought our guys played hard, blocked a lot of shots, and that every line contributed.”

“We wouldn’t be going to the final with no. 35,” Ward said. “He’s been a rock for us all year.”

With their win over the Knights, the Medicine Hat Tigers have secured their fourth Memorial Cup final appearance since 1972, tying them for third all-time with five other teams — including the London Knights — for the most championship game appearances. It also marks the Tigers’ first trip to the final in 18 years and makes them the first WHL team to advance directly to the championship game since the Kelowna Rockets did so in 2009, when the event was last held in Rimouski.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
POST-GAME LONDON
POST-GAME MEDICINE HAT

Tied 1-1 heading into the third, the Tigers took the lead just 77 seconds into the frame through Ward’s first of the tournament. The overage forward collected the puck after a minute tip pass from Misha Volotovskii before he spun and slid the puck home to score the eventual game-winner.

“It probably ranks number one,” Ward said of the game-winner after playing his penultimate junior hockey game. “You don’t sit around dreaming about playing that final game. You dream about winning it. I don’t know if Willie remembers, but he sent me a text when he traded for me and said he wants to win that final game. Not just be there.”

Ritchie scored his tournament-leading fourth goal into the empty net with 11.6 seconds left in regulation.

“You’ve got to be so excited to get the chance,” Desjardins said of playing for a Memorial Cup title. “It’s great for us to get the opportunity, but for sure, we want to win it – we don’t want to just show up. So, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

The win marks the first time a WHL team has gone 3-0 in the Memorial Cup round-robin since 2008. The Tigers will now look to become the first WHL club to capture the title since the Edmonton Oil Kings did so 11 years ago.

The 2025 Memorial Cup final is set for Sunday at 7:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. MT.

Halttunen had the only goal of the first period as he got a piece of San Jose Sharks prospect  Sam Dickinson’s shot from the point on the power play just 3:34 into the game. In the process, Halttunen moved into second all-time for most goals scored by a Knight in Memorial Cup history with six, trailing only Christian Dvorak, who recorded seven.

The Tigers scored the only goal of the second period when Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk’s point shot deflected off Los Angeles Kings prospect Jared Woolley’s skate and landed perfectly for Ethan Neutens, who buried it into an open net from the low slot at 5:11.

London now awaits the winner of tonight’s rematch of the 2025 QMJHL Championship Series, as the host Rimouski Océanic (0-2) faces the Moncton Wildcats (0-2) in the round-robin finale tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Game 6 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Wednesday, May 26 – Rimouski Océanic vs. Moncton Wildcats
Semi-Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Friday, May 30 – TBD vs. London Knights
Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Saturday, June 1 – TBD vs. Medicine Hat Tigers

Ritchie leads the Medicine Hat Tigers past the Moncton Wildcats for a second straight win at the 2025 Memorial Cup

Rimouski, QC – MAY 26: Round Robin game 4 of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Moncton Wildcat and the Medicine Hat Tigers on May 26, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — Minnesota Wild prospect Ryder Ritchie scored twice to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers (2-0) to a 3-1 victory over the Moncton Wildcats (0-2) at the 2025 Memorial Cup in Rimouski on Monday night.

2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna scored into the empty net for the Tigers as Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin made 21 saves. Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dyllan Gill had the Wildcats’ lone goal as Moncton netminder Mathis Rousseau turned aside 39 shots.

With the win, the Tigers have secured at least a spot in Friday’s semi-final. Tonight, they’ll face the only other undefeated team at the tournament, the London Knights (2-0), with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The winner of tonight’s game between the Tigers and Knights will advance directly to Sunday’s championship game, while the loser will play in Friday’s semi-final as the designated home team.

“I thought our team played well and we’re certainly happy with the win,” said Medicine Hat head coach Willie Desjardins. “We are grateful for the opportunity and don’t take it for granted.

“We know what the games are going to be like and know they are going to be hard.”

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
POST-GAME MONCTON
POST-GAME MEDICINE HAT

Conversely, the Moncton Wildcats now face a do-or-die situation following last night’s loss. Their Memorial Cup hopes will hinge on Wednesday’s final round-robin game against the host Rimouski Océanic (0-2) at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The winner will move on to Friday’s semi-final as the visiting team, while the loser will be eliminated from the 2025 Memorial Cup.

A pair of goals from Ritchie built the Tigers a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes on Monday. He opened the scoring 4:24 into the first as he buried the puck into a wide-open net off of Oasiz Wiesblatt’s feed moments after McKenna had been stopped on a breakaway.

His second of the night came at 9:42 of the second period as he hammered home a one-timer on the power play off of Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Basha’s feed. Ritchie would later add an assist on McKenna’s empty-netter as he led all scorers with three points on Monday night.

Another bright spot for the Tigers on Monday was the return of Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Cayden Lindstrom, who made his Memorial Cup debut. He went 6-for-11 on faceoffs and drew a key high-sticking penalty in the third period, helping to stall a late push from the Wildcats.

Following Monday’s game, Tigers forward Ryder Ritchie leads all skaters at the 2025 Memorial Cup with three goals, edging out Sam O’Reilly (London Knights), Dyllan Gill (Moncton Wildcats), Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers), and Bryce Pickford (Medicine Hat Tigers), who each have two. 

Additionally, Ritchie also shares the tournament scoring lead with Easton Cowan (London Knights), Oasiz Wiesblatt (Medicine Hat Tigers), and McKenna, as all four have recorded four points through two games.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Game 5 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Today – London Knights vs. Medicine Hat Tigers
Game 6 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Wednesday, May 28 – Rimouski Océanic vs. Moncton Wildcats
Semi-Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Friday, May 30 – TBD vs. TBD

London Knights defeat Rimouski Océanic to earn a second straight win at the 2025 Memorial Cup

Rimouski, QC – MAY 25: Shootout Tournament prior to the Round Robin game 3 of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Rimouski Océanic and the London Knights on May 25, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — The London Knights moved to 2-0 at the 2025 Memorial Cup after a 3-1 win over the host Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday night. With the victory, the Knights have assured themselves of at least a place in Friday’s semi-final at the 105th edition of the Memorial Cup, being held in Rimouski, Québec.

On Sunday night, 2025 NHL Draft prospect Henry Brzustewicz, Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien, and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan scored for London as Austin Elliott made 28 saves. Washington Capitals prospect Eriks Mateiko had Rimouski’s lone goal while Mathis Langevin stopped 34 shots.

“That was a really fun game to play in,” Cowan said. “High compete from both teams and we stuck with it to come out with the two points.”

With the London Knights’ win over the Rimouski Océanic on Sunday night, head coach Dale Hunter made Memorial Cup history by earning his 15th career tournament victory — the most by any head coach since the CHL adopted its current format in 1972. The milestone moves Hunter past legendary WHL bench boss Don Hay (14 wins with the Kamloops Blazers and Vancouver Giants), placing him alone atop the all-time coaching wins list at the Memorial Cup.

“It’s a credit to the players here,” Hunter said, who now has a 15-7 career record at the Memorial Cup. “To win games, they are the ones who have to sacrifice on the ice to block shots. Through the years I’ve had great players and winners and they go on to do great things.”

Julien buried the game-winner with just 5:07 left in the third period as he converted a pretty passing play was started by Cowan, who found San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen before he slid the puck over to Julien for his first of the tournament. Cowan ensured the win with an empty-netter at 18:08.

After a goalless first period – in which both teams registered nine goals – it was the Océanic who opened the scoring 2:14 into the second period as after some great work down low by Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford, Mateiko found a loose puck in the crease to grab his first of the tournament.

London got level through 2025 NHL Draft prospect Brzustewicz who at 9:47 found himself with all kinds of space to bury a wrister from the right dot to make it 1-1.

“That was two strong teams going at it,” Julien said. “Both played really well defensively and offensively and we were fortunate enough to come out on top.”

Next up, the London Knights (2-0) will look to become the first team to make back-to-back appearances in a Memorial Cup final since the Windsor Spitfires did so during their championship runs in 2009 and 2010. With a win over the Medicine Hat Tigers (1-0) tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET, the Knights would secure their spot in this year’s title game.

Meanwhile, the host Rimouski Océanic (0-2) will look to keep their Memorial Cup hopes alive when they take on the Moncton Wildcats (0-1) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. The matchup marks a rematch of the QMJHL Championship Series, where Moncton defeated Rimouski in six games to capture the third league title in franchise history.

But first, tonight at 7 p.m. ET, the Medicine Hat Tigers (1-0) will try to follow in the Knights’ footsteps and clinch a spot in at least Friday’s semi-final — a feat they can accomplish with a win over the Wildcats. Moncton, on the other hand, will be fighting for their first victory of the tournament and a chance to secure a place in Thursday’s potential tiebreaker.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Game 4 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Today – Moncton Wildcats vs. Medicine Hat Tigers
Game 5 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Tuesday, May 27 – London Knights vs. Medicine Hat Tigers
Game 6 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Wednesday, May 28 – Rimouski Océanic vs. Moncton Wildcats


Following Sunday’s victory, the London Knights sit in first place as the 2025 Memorial Cup enters its fourth day.

London Knights edge Moncton Wildcats in OT on O’Reilly’s game-winner at 2025 Memorial Cup

Rimouski, QC – MAY 24: Round Robin game 2 of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Moncton Wildcats and the London Knights on May 24, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — Edmonton Oilers prospect Sam O’Reilly scored the overtime winner as the London Knights began their 2025 Memorial Cup campaign with a 3-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats in Rimouski, Québec.

O’Reilly buried the game-winner at 4:23 of overtime as after London Knights forward Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs prospect) spun around Moncton’s Caleb Desnoyers (2025 NHL Draft prospect), he found the Oilers prospect to the right side of Rousseau, where he tipped the puck high for his second of the night.

“I just try to get to the net,” O’Reilly said. “[Cowan] does all of his creative stuff up top. It’s always the best place to go is to the net, he throws pucks there a lot and fortunate enough to be able to score one.”

With London’s 3-2 overtime win over Moncton, Dale Hunter recorded his 14th career Memorial Cup victory as a head coach, tying Don Hay for the most all-time since 1972. Hunter, who owns a 14-7 record at the tournament, has now pulled even with Hay (14-4) atop the all-time coaching wins list at the Memorial Cup.

In addition to his OT winner, O’Reilly also scored in regulation, along with San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen, while Austin Elliott turned aside 27 shots for the Knights. On the Moncton side, Calgary Flames prospect Etienne Morin and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dyllan Gill found the back of the net, with Mathis Rousseau making 45 saves in the loss.

London – finalists at the 2024 Memorial Cup – needed all of 91 seconds to strike as O’Reilly got a piece of Sam Dickinson’s (San Jose Sharks prospect) point shot to grab an early 1-0 lead. But Moncton battled back to level things up at the first intermission as Etienne Morin’s shot from the blue line hit London defenceman Jared Woolley (Los Angeles Kings prospect) to change directions and beat Elliott at 6:59.

The Knights restored their lead at 5:11 of the second through Halttunen, who unloaded a one-timer on the power play to register his fifth career Memorial Cup goal. In doing so, the Finnish forward now has a goal in five straight Memorial Cup outings, matching the longest goal-scoring streak at a Memorial Cup since 2000 – a mark set by Ty Rattie (Portland Winterhawks), who found the back of the net in all five games of the 2013 Memorial Cup.

However, once again, the Wildcats found the tying goal in the period as it was Gill’s time to convert on the man advantage as his shot from the blue line beat Elliott.

After a goalless third, that saw London outshot Moncton 16-3, it was O’Reilly who played hero at night’s end.

“They’re good players and they want to win really bad,” Hunter said. “They play hard, and when the big games are on the line they come through.”

Next up, the London Knights (1-0) will be looking to earn their second win in as many nights when they hit the ice for Game 3 of the round-robin tonight at 6 p.m. ET against the host Rimouski Océanic (0-1). Meanwhile, the Océanic will be in search of their first win of the tournament after falling 5-4 to the Medicine Hat Tigers in their opening game.

Looking ahead, the round-robin continues Monday night as the Moncton Wildcats (0-1) take on the Medicine Hat Tigers (1-0) at 7 p.m. ET in a pivotal matchup for both teams. On Tuesday, the London Knights will close out their round-robin schedule with a showdown against the Tigers.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Game 3 (Round-Robin) @ 6 p.m. ET – Today – Rimouski Océanic vs. London Knights
Game 4 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Monday, May 26 – Moncton Wildcats vs. Medicine Hat Tigers
Game 5 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Tuesday, May 27 – London Knights vs. Medicine Hat Tigers

Medicine Hat Tigers edge the host Rimouski Océanic 5-4 in 2025 Memorial Cup opener

Rimouski, QC – MAY 23: Round Robin game 1 of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the Rimouski Océanic on May 23, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — Hunter St. Martin scored the game-winning goal with 2:41 left in regulation as the Medicine Hat Tigers took Game 1 of the 2025 Memorial Cup over the host Rimouski Oceanic on Friday night.

2025 NHL Draft prospect Bryce Pickford scored twice while Minnesota Wild prospect Ryder Ritchie and 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna also had goals as Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin stopped 20 shots. For Rimouski, Maël Lavigne, Maël St-Denis, Jacob Mathieu, and Jonathan Fauchon found the back of the net as Mathis Langevin made 33 saves.

St. Martin tipped home the game-winner off a Tanner Molendyk (Nashville Predators prospect) feed to give the Tigers a perfect start to the tournament.

“That was one of the hardest teams we’ve played all year,” McKenna said. “We had guys selling out all game, guys were blocking shots at the end of the game. I think it shows how bad we wanted it.”

Ritchie had opened the scoring 13:50 into the first as he buried a loose puck after McKenna hit the crossbar, but the Oceanic levelled things before the end of the period through Lavigne.

The hosts took their first lead of the game at 10:43 of the second as he benefitted from a Tigers turnover to take 2-1, but Pickford extended his incredible goalscoring streak to nine games as he converted at 16:18 to tie the game. Pickford, a native of Chauvin, Alta., recently recorded the most goals by a CHL defenceman in a single playoff run (13) since 2000.

Rimouski, however, answered immediately as Mathieu was credited with his first on an odd-bounce just 2:08 later as the hosts took a 3-2 advantage into the break.

Medicine Hat needed only 68 seconds to level things up at 3-3 as Pickford again found the back of the net with a snipe from the top of the left dot before McKenna converted on a breakaway at 5:16 to make it 4-3.

“I thought I could get him high, saw it and shot it, and luckily it went in,” McKenna said.

Fauchon – who led the QMJHL in scoring this season – made it 4-4 at 13:04 before St. Martin buried the game-winner to give the Tigers a crucial opening-night win.

“Tanner made a great move at the blue line and I saw him go to the net,” St. Martin said. “That play has happened a few times so there was a little bit of familiarity there so I thought ‘go to the net and put my stick down’ and he made an unbelievable pass and luckily it went in which was really good for our group.”

In a fitting turn of events, the victory comes exactly 18 years after Medicine Hat’s last win at the prestigious tournament — a 1-0 triumph over the host Vancouver Giants at the 2007 Memorial Cup.

In a powerful and emotional moment before the start of the opening game of the 2025 Memorial Cup, Capt. Érick Théberge surprised his son, Olivier Théberge — a defenceman for the host Rimouski Océanic — by taking part in the ceremonial puck drop. Serving in the Canadian Armed Forces for 36 years, Capt. Théberge received special permission to return from deployment in Latvia just in time to see his son play on one of the biggest stages in junior hockey.

Unaware of his father’s presence, Olivier stepped onto the ice for the pre-game ceremony and was met with an unforgettable reunion. The Océanic would go on to narrowly fall 5-4 to the Medicine Hat Tigers, but the heartfelt exchange between father and son left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance.

Next up, Game 2 of the 2025 Memorial Cup round-robin takes place today at 6 p.m. ET, featuring the Moncton Wildcats (0-0) facing off against the London Knights (0-0).

The Rimouski Océanic (0-1) will return to the ice at the 2025 Memorial Cup on Sunday, May 25, for Game 3 of the round-robin at 6 p.m. ET, when they take on the London Knights (0-0).

Meanwhile, the Tigers (1-0) are back on the ice Monday, May 26, at 7 p.m. ET, when they take on the QMJHL champion Moncton Wildcats (0-0). 

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Game 2 (Round-Robin) @ 6 p.m. ET – Today – Moncton Wildcats vs. London Knights
Game 3 (Round-Robin) @ 6 p.m. ET – Sunday, May 25 – Rimouski Océanic vs. London Knights
Game 4 (Round-Robin) @ 7 p.m. ET – Monday, May 26 – Moncton Wildcats vs. Medicine Hat Tigers

OHL APPOINTS DARRELL WOODLEY AS DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY DEVELOPMENT

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced the appointment of Darrell Woodley to the role of Director of Hockey Development, a position crucial to the league’s mission of growing and strengthening hockey in Ontario and across North America.

Woodley will oversee the development and implementation of the ongoing evolution of the Ontario Development Model and serve as the league’s day-to-day liaison with key stakeholders including Hockey Canada, the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO), the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), the province’s various junior development leagues, minor hockey organizations and school sport hockey partners.

Woodley, who has worked as the OHL’s Director of Central Scouting since 2011 and also has experience as a regional scout with Hockey Canada, is looking forward to the new opportunity.

“With a tremendous amount of change occurring across the hockey landscape, it’s an exciting time to embark on a new challenge,” said Woodley. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time in the OHL as a player, coach, management team member, scout and employee at the league office and I’m looking forward to investing in the work of developing the best young players not just for the OHL, but also for Hockey Canada and its Program of Excellence.”

A player for the Oshawa Generals and Barrie Colts from 1994-97, Woodley also served in roles as the Director of Player Development with the Colts starting in 2002, also serving as an Assistant Coach before joining the league office in 2011.

“Darrell brings a wealth of experience to this role,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “He’ll serve as the league’s lead on the Ontario Development Model, and will seek to ensure that the development strategy reflects a unified vision for player growth, competitive balance and long-term success. His work will be important in the area of strengthening affiliation agreements between OHL clubs and junior development leagues such as the GOJHL, OJHL, CCHL and NOJHL among others.”

Woodley will also oversee annual league events such as the OHL Cup, OHL Performance Development Program and the return of the Battle of the Border while also exploring opportunities to expand grassroots hockey development and diversity outreach programming.

Established in 1981, the OHL Central Scouting Department, of which Woodley was Director, has officially ceased operations as the OHL centers its attention on player development moving into the 2025-26 season and beyond. OHL member teams and their respective scouting departments will continue to identify talent at various levels of the game while the league office, with Darrell Woodley leading the effort, places a greater emphasis on the development of young players coming up through Ontario’s hockey system.