By Canadian Press

Ward scores winner, Tigers advance to Memorial Cup final with 3-1 win over Knights

May 27, 2025 | 7:20 PM

RIMOUSKI — Mathew Ward scored the winner at 1:17 of the third period and Harrison Meneghin stopped 35 shots as the Medicine Hat Tigers advanced to the Memorial Cup final with a 3-1 win over the London Knights on Tuesday night.

London will meet the Moncton Wildcats or Rimouski Océanic in Friday’s semifinal. The final is set for Sunday.

Ethan Neutens also scored while Ryder Ritchie added an empty-net goal for Medicine Hat (3-0), which won the Western Hockey League.

The Tigers won 3-1 over Moncton and claimed a 5-4 victory against Rimouski earlier in the round robin at Colisée Financière Sun Life. They’re headed to a fourth Memorial Cup final, seeking a third win.

Kasper Halttunen replied for the Ontario Hockey League champion Knights (2-1), who opened the tournament with a 3-2 overtime win over Moncton and then beat Rimouski 3-1.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

B.C. government funds emergency operations across Abby-Mission, Chilliwack areas

14h ago

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

Abbotsford Canucks back home for final stretch of Western Conference series

16h ago

SKEETER SEASON

FVRD battles mosquito season with annual control program

18h ago

Austin Elliott made 26 saves.

London contained Tigers phenom Gavin McKenna — the projected top pick in the 2026 NHL draft — much of the night. Defenceman Oliver Bonk held McKenna to the outside late in the first period before laying a bone-crunching hit on the 17-year-old minutes later.

In the second period, Jared Woolley forced the puck off McKenna on a dangerous 2-on-1.

But others stepped up with McKenna restrained.

Tied 1-1 in the third period, Ward followed his own behind-the-net pass before sweeping the puck into the net — giving Medicine Hat the lead moments after London star Easton Cowan missed an open net at the other end.

Misha Volotovskii nearly doubled the lead when he beat a sprawling Elliott but hit the post on a sharp-angle shot with a little under 12 minutes remaining.

London went on the power play with 3:35 left after Hunter St. Martin crushed Woolley into the end boards. The play was reduced from a major penalty to a minor after review.

The Knights eventually pulled the goalie for a 6-on-4 advantage, but Bonk whiffed on their best chance of the power play.

Ritchie put the game out of reach, scoring an empty-netter with 11 seconds remaining after sustained zone time from London. It was Ritchie’s fourth goal of the Memorial Cup.

Halttunen opened the scoring for London with a power-play goal 3:34 into the first period. The OHL playoff MVP tipped Sam Dickinson’s one-timer from the point for his second of the tournament.

London dominated most of the opening 20 minutes, with a 10-7 edge in shots, but Medicine Hat responded in the second.

Meneghin denied Blake Montgomery on a breakaway to keep it a one-goal game before Elliott made two big saves on Ritchie.

Neutens then tied the score 1-1 at 5:11 of the second period. Tanner Molendyk kept the puck in London’s zone before sending a shot toward the net that deflected onto Neutens’ stick, and the Tigers forward slid it into a gaping net.

Dickinson almost put the Knights ahead twice on separate rushes up the ice later in the period, but Meneghin shut the door.

UP NEXT

The Rimouski Océanic play the Moncton Wildcats on Wednesday with a spot in the semifinal on the line. Both Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League teams are 0-2 so far.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press