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Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Wildcats eliminated from Memorial Cup after 5-2 loss to Knights
The dream season for the Moncton Wildcats, one of promise and outstanding achievement, came to an emotional end after a 5-2 semifinal loss to the London Knights Friday at the Memorial Cup in Rimouski. Article content Article content London's Blake Montgomery and Jessi Nurmi scored 10 minutes apart in the final period to snap a 2-2 tie and the Knights' star forward Easton Cowan clinched the win with an empty net goal late as London advances to the championship Sunday against the Medicine Hat Tigers. Article content Article content For the Wildcats, it was oh so close. Article content Article content 'I am super proud of everyone on our team, the coaches down to the Black Aces who didn't play,' said Wildcats captain Markus Vidicek. 'We knew it was going to be a battle all night long. We threw punches, they threw punches but, in the end, they won a third period, and we didn't.' Article content The Cats set franchise records in many areas, including best winning percentage with a 53-11-2-0 mark in the regular season and captured their third QMJHL title with a victory over Rimouski to claim the Gilles Courteau Trophy on May 19. Article content The 16-3 playoff record was also a franchise best, exceeding the 16-5 slates the team recorded in winning the 2006 and 2010 QMJHL titles. Article content This season proved to be a mammoth improvement from the previous campaign in which lofty expectations were met with a devastating turn in a four-game opening-round playoff sweep to Chicoutimi. Article content Article content But this year was different, with new head coach Gardiner MacDougall behind the bench and new general manager Taylor MacDougall, his son, pulling the strings on numerous high quality player acquisitions to form a lineup that gelled almost from the get-go. Article content They were ranked No. 1 in the Canadian Hockey League many times during the year and after clinching the regular season title in March, they were even better in the post-season to earn a berth to their third Memorial Cup tournament. Article content 'It is gut wrenching because of the faith Mr. (Robert) Irving put in us,' said Wildcats head coach Gardiner MacDougall after Friday's loss. Article content 'When you don't win your last game, you are very disappointed as a coach, but the group came so far. You are representing a city, you are representing a province, you are representing our league. There is certainly disappointed feelings but the other part of it is you see the growth of the group and what a difference they made. They set new standards, and we just came a little short.'
CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Moncton Wildcats eliminated from Memorial Cup
Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau (60) makes a save on London Knights' Sam O'Reilly (23) during first period semifinal Memorial Cup action, in Rimouski, Que., on Friday, May 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov RIMOUSKI — The London Knights are going back to the Memorial Cup final and they're determined to redeem last year's devastating defeat. Blake Montgomery scored the winner 3:35 into the third period to lift the Knights past the Moncton Wildcats 5-2 in the tournament's semifinal Friday. London will take on the Medicine Hat Tigers in Sunday's battle for the top prize in Canadian major junior hockey. It's also a chance for players from last season's Knights team to redeem themselves after a 4-3 loss to the Saginaw Spirit in the 2024 final. 'We were playing for this all year to get back in that game,' said forward Landon Sim. 'It was the worst day of all of our lives last year, losing that final game. 'To finally get back — super, super happy.' Denver Barkey — with an assist — Sim and Jesse Nurmi also scored, while Austin Elliott made 21 saves for the Knights. Easton Cowan had an empty-net goal and added an assist, and Jacob Julien provided two helpers. 'I thought that was our best game of the tournament so far,' Cowan said. 'Had a really good first, kind of laid back in the second. Then our third was definitely the best period of the tournament. 'We had everyone scoring today, lots of depth and a huge win for us.' It's a fifth Memorial Cup final appearance for London, the Ontario Hockey League champions. Only the Peterborough Petes and Kitchener Rangers have more with six apiece. The Knights fell short of clinching a spot in this year's championship game earlier in the tournament with a 3-1 loss to the Tigers in their round-robin finale. London has lost consecutive games only once in its past 120 games — including playoffs and Memorial Cups — dating back to March 1, 2024. 'It comes out of the consistency that we play with,' Dickinson said. 'Losing one game, it's going to happen. But something we say a lot is good teams don't lose two in a row. We live by that.' Caleb Desnoyers, a projected top-10 pick in this June's draft, had a goal and an assist while Dyllan Gill also scored for Moncton. Mathis Rousseau stopped 32 shots. The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champions, who also fell 3-2 in overtime to London in their tournament opener, beat the host Rimouski Oceanic 6-2 in the final-round robin game Wednesday to reach the semifinal. The Knights — a powerhouse team that boasts 12 NHL draft picks, including four first-rounders — were too much to handle. 'We know we had a tough opponent on the other side, national championship semifinal,' Gill said. '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.' Montgomery gave London a 3-2 lead early in the third when Sam Dickinson beat Moncton's Etienne Morin wide and set up the Ottawa Senators prospect, who'd snuck in behind Gill to score his first of the tournament. 'Amazing play. He's one hell of a player,' Montgomery said of Dickinson. 'Once I saw him going down the wall, I knew all I do was get to the net, he would find me, and sure enough, he did. 'Right in the wheelhouse.' Nurmi converted a centring feed from Julien to double the lead with 6:49 remaining. The Wildcats jumped on a power play with 4:36 left — and eventually pulled the goalie for an extra attacker — but couldn't cut into the lead before Cowan made it 5-2 with 1:49 remaining. While several players from last year's team returned this season, Sim said Montgomery and Nurmi are new additions who've matched the group's hunger for a Memorial Cup title. 'We got a group that's been here for a while,' Sim said. 'The last dance for a lot of us.' 'Those guys that are new come in and see that, how bad we want it, and I think there's no other option but to want it as badly as we do.' The Knights swarmed the Wildcats in the first period and dominated the shot count 18-5 after 20 minutes, but London struggled to hold the lead — and stay out of the penalty box. Sim opened the scoring with a wraparound 4:07 into the game. Desnoyers later equalized on the man-advantage, ripping a wrist shot from the left circle through Elliott at 18:20. The Knights went ahead again 5:24 into the second period when Barkey hammered a slick feed from Cowan into a gaping net. Nurmi, however, took a slashing penalty 22 seconds later, leading to Gill's third goal of the tournament. Moncton almost took its first lead late in the period when Gill's point shot deflected twice before bouncing off the post. 'You need a little lady luck,' Wildcats head coach Gardiner MacDougall said. 'There's a couple of shots from the point that, an inch this way and we have a lead. Our goal for this game was to get the lead. We played this team twice. We never had the lead. 'We showed some resilience. We've come back four different times on them, and that's not easy to do.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
PLAYOFF TRACKER: London Knights beat Moncton, advance to Memorial Cup Final
The London Knights will have a chance at Memorial Cup redemption on Sunday after beating the Moncton Wildcats The London Knights will have a chance at Memorial Cup redemption on Sunday after beating the Moncton Wildcats The London Knights will have a chance at Memorial Cup redemption on Sunday after beating the Moncton Wildcats in the tournament's semi-final Friday night in Rimouski, QC. Knights forward Blake Montgomery broke a 2-2 tie early in the third period before Jesse Nurmi added an insurance goal midway through the frame, and Easton Cowan sealed it with an empty-netter, helping London to a 5-2 win over the QMJHL champions. '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.' The victory sets up a rematch of the Knights' final group stage game against the WHL champions, the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Tigers went undefeated in the opening round, earning a bye to Sunday's final. 'We know we had a tough opponent on the other side, national championship semifinal,' shared Moncton goalie Dyllan 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.' London became the first CHL team since the 2010 Windsor Spitfires to qualify for back-to-back Memorial Cup Finals. They lost the 2024 championship game to last year's tournaments hosts, the Saginaw Spirit. 'It means everything,' the Knights' Landon Sim said. 'We were playing for this all year to get back in that game.' Round 1 Game 1 – March 28, Attack 1, Knights 6 Game 2 – March 30, Attack 3, Knights 6 Game 3 – April 1, Knights 7, Attack 4 Game 4 – April 3, Knights 8, Attack 4 Round 2 Game 1 - April 10, Knights 6, Otters 3 Game 2 - April 12, Knights 7, Otters 2 Game 3 - April 15, Knights 4, Erie 0 Game 4 - April 17, Knights 4, Erie 3 Western Conference Championship Series Game 1 - April 25, Knights 5, Rangers 2 Game 2 - April 27, Knights 6, Rangers 2 Game 3 - April 28, Knights 3, Rangers 2 Game 4 - April 30, Knights 4, Rangers 2 OHL Finals Game 1 - May 8, Generals 4, Knights 2 Game 2 - May 10, Knights 5, Generals 2 Game 3 - May 12, Knights 7, Generals 5 Game 4 - May 13, Knights 5, Generals 2 Game 5 - May 15, Knights 5, Generals 2 Memorial Cup Game 1 - May 24, Moncton Wildcats 2, London Knights 3 Game 2 - May 25, Rimouski Oceanic 1, London Knights 3 Game 3 - May 27, London Knights 3, Medicine Hat Tigers 1 Game 4 - May 30, London Knights 5, Moncton Wildcats 2
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
London Knights return to Memorial Cup final with 5-2 win over Moncton Wildcats
The London Knights are going back to the Memorial Cup final. Blake Montgomery scored the winner 3:35 into the third period to lift the Knights past the Moncton Wildcats 5-2 in the tournament's semifinal Friday. London will take on the Medicine Hat Tigers in Sunday's battle for the top prize in Canadian junior hockey. Denver Barkey — with an assist — Landon Sim and Jesse Nurmi also scored, while Austin Elliott made 21 saves for the Knights, who lost 4-3 to the Saginaw Spirit in last year's final. Easton Cowan had an empty-net goal and added an assist, and Jacob Julien provided two helpers. The Knights fell short of clinching a spot in this year's championship game earlier in the tournament with a 3-1 loss to the Tigers in their round-robin finale. London has lost twice consecutively only once in its past 120 games — including playoffs and Memorial Cups — dating back to March 1, 2024. It's a fifth Memorial Cup final appearance for the Ontario Hockey League champions. Only the Peterborough Petes and Kitchener Rangers have more with six apiece. Caleb Desnoyers had a goal and an assist while Dyllan Gill also scored for Moncton. Mathis Rousseau stopped 32 shots. The Wildcats, who also fell 3-2 in overtime to London in their tournament opener, beat the host Rimouski Oceanic 6-2 in the final-round robin game Wednesday to reach the semifinal. Montgomery gave London a 3-2 lead early in the third when Sam Dickinson beat Moncton's Etienne Morin wide and set up the Ottawa Senators prospect, who'd snuck in behind Gill to score his first of the tournament. Nurmi converted a centring feed from Julien to double the lead with 6:49 remaining. Julien knocked the puck between Markus Vidicek's legs off a faceoff to set up Nurmi. The Wildcats jumped on a power play with 4:36 left — and eventually pulled the goalie for an extra attacker — but couldn't cut into the lead before Cowan made it 5-2 with 1:49 remaining. The Knights swarmed the Wildcats in the first period and dominated shot count 18-5 after 20 minutes, but London struggled to hold the lead — and stay out of the penalty box. Sim opened the scoring with a wraparound 4:07 into the game. He picked up a bouncing puck off the end boards after Oliver Bonk missed the net before quickly swinging around the net to give London the early lead. Moncton's Etienne Morin fired a one-timer off the crossbar on a power play midway through the frame. Desnoyers later equalized on the man-advantage, ripping a wrist shot from the left circle through Elliott at 18:20 after Sim took an interference penalty. The Knights went ahead again 5:24 into the second period when Barkey hammered a slick feed from Cowan into a gaping net after the Knights skated circles around the Wildcats in the offensive zone. Jesse Nurmi, however, took a slashing penalty 22 seconds later, leading to Gill's third goal of the tournament. Gill took a pass from Desnoyers and picked his spot with a shot off the post and in past a screened Elliott at 7:40. The Knights finally jumped on the power play with nine minutes left in the second. Cowan, who had seven shots on goal, nearly scored off a dangerous give-and-go with Dickinson but couldn't solve Rousseau once again. Moncton almost took its first lead late in the period when Gill's point shot deflected twice before bouncing off the post.
3 days ago
- Sport
London beats Moncton 5-2 to advance to face Medicine Hat in Memorial Cup final
RIMOUSKI, Quebec -- Blake Montgomery broke a tie at 3:35 of the third period and the London Knights beat the Moncton Wildcats 5-2 on Friday night in the Memorial Cup semifinal to advance to face the Medicine Hat Tigers on Sunday in the final. Montgomery slipped the puck past goalie Mathis Rousseau on a break off a short backhand feed from Sam Dickinson. On Tuesday night, Western Hockey League champion Medicine Hat beat Ontario Hockey lewague winner London 3-1 to advance to the final in the four-team tournament. The Knights lost last year in the final, falling 4-3 to the host Saginaw Spirit. Landon Sim, Denver Barkey, Jesse Nurmi and Easton Cowan — into an empty net — also scored for London. Austin Elliott made 21 saves. Caleb Desnoyers and Dyllan Gill had power-play goals for Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champion Moncton, with Gill tying it at 2 in the second period. Rousseau stopped 32 shots for the Wildcats. Moncton won the QMJHL title in Rimouski last week, beating the Oceanic in six games. On Wednesday, the Wildcats beat host Rimouski 6-2 to reach the semifinal.
