Latest news with #SamOReilly
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
London beats Moncton 5-2 to advance to face Medicine Hat in Memorial Cup final
London Knights' Landon Sim (90) celebrates after scoring against the London Knights during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau (60) makes a save against London Knights' Sam O'Reilly, right, during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau (60) makes a save against London Knights' Sam O'Reilly (23) during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau, left, makes a save against London Knights' Sam O'Reilly (23) during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats' Markus Vidicek (6) skates off the ice as London Knights players, top, celebrate after their win in semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats' Markus Vidicek (6) skates off the ice as London Knights players, top, celebrate after their win in semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) London Knights' Landon Sim (90) celebrates after scoring against the London Knights during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau (60) makes a save against London Knights' Sam O'Reilly, right, during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau (60) makes a save against London Knights' Sam O'Reilly (23) during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau, left, makes a save against London Knights' Sam O'Reilly (23) during first-period semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) Moncton Wildcats' Markus Vidicek (6) skates off the ice as London Knights players, top, celebrate after their win in semifinal Memorial Cup hockey action in Rimouski, Quebec, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP) RIMOUSKI, Quebec (AP) — 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. Advertisement 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. ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oilers Prospects Wins Opening Memorial Cup Match In OT
The London Knights won their opening game at the Memorial Cup in overtime, beating the Moncton Wildcats 3-2 in overtime. Edmonton Oilers prospect Sam O'Reilly scored the game-winning goal in overtime. While the Knights are widely considered the favorites at the tournament, this was a close game from beginning to end. Moncton went blow for blow with London through the opening period. After 20 minutes the shots were 15-14 in favor of the Wildcats and the score was tied at one. O'Reilly, who eventually scored the game winner, also scored London's opening goal of the match just a minute and a half into the game. He redirected Sam Dickinson's blast from the point past Mathis Rousseau to take the early lead. Moncton stuck with it, avoided London's potent neutral-zone forecheck and gaining significant time in the offensive zone. with just over 13 minutes left in the first period, Etienne Morin fired a well placed shot past Austin Elliott to tie the game at one. It wouldn't be the last goal the London goaltender surrendered from the point. CHL Hosts Meet The Coaches Press Conference Ahead of Memorial Cup Earlier today, London Knights Head Coach Dale Hunter took part in a pre-tournament press conference alongside the Head Coaches of the other three participating teams. The panel consisted of Hunter, Willie Desjardins (Medicine Hat), Gardiner MacDougall (Moncton) and Joël Perrault (Rimouski). London took control of the game in the second, nearly doubling Moncton's shots on goal in the period. The teams once again exchanged goals, with San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen scoring for London while Dyllan Gill scored for Moncton. Though there was no scoring in the third period, London dominated the final frame, outshooting the Wildcats 16-3. Rousseau had a fantastic game for Moncton, stopping multiple grade-A scoring chances for London. You could feel London warming up into the game as time went on. Period by period they took over, eventually dominating the Wildcats in the third period, however, it was not enough to escape overtime. The two teams exchanged chances in overtime before Sam O'Reilly, who started the scoring in this one, tipped home Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan's backhand pass in front of the net. OHL Heavily Represented in Craig Button's Recent Mock Draft The 2025 NHL Draft is just around the corner, and many pundits are starting to project what the first round will look like. Craig Buttons' recent mock draft projects the OHL to be well represented in the opening round of the 2025 NHL Draft. O'Reilly had a fantastic season in the OHL after being selected at the end of the first round by Edmonton at the 2024 NHL Draft. In 62 games this season, he recorded 21 goals and 71 points with London. The two goals he scored in game one at the Memorial Cup mark is progression as a player while simultaneously vindicating the Oilers' faith in the young prospect. A win in their opening game of the tournament sets London up for success. They will move on to play their second game tonight against the hosting Rimouski Oceanic. Puck drop for that game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
A complete look at the Edmonton Oilers' prospects in spring 2025
Even as the Edmonton Oilers push to make the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row, there are some interesting things happening among players in the team's prospect pool. Sam O'Reilly and William Nicholl are helping the London Knights at this year's Memorial Cup. Russian winger Maxim Berezkin has completed his season (including playoffs) as a member of the KHL champion Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He was a major contributor throughout the regular season and playoffs for his team. He's a free agent this spring, and Edmonton holds his NHL rights. Advertisement Here's a look at the Oilers system up to the minute. This is the group that includes signed and unsigned teenagers. Generally speaking, they are at least one year from pro hockey and several seasons away from making an NHL debut. O'Reilly is the exception. He's signed, and may get a significant audition at Oilers training camp this fall. When scouting director Rick Pracey and the Oilers' amateur scouts decided to pick O'Reilly, it was with an eye to the current Edmonton roster. O'Reilly is a perfect fit for the Oilers: A right-handed centre, with a rugged playing style, enough skill to move the needle offensively and significant defensive value. Since he was drafted last summer, O'Reilly has improved in all areas. Bet on him to return to junior for his final (age 19) season at that level, but there's at least some chance he'll get some NHL games to start the 2025-26 season. Nicholl is a classic 'draft and follow' type, chosen despite a small sample of playing time before his draft day on a great junior team (London Knights). He's a skilled forward who can play at pace with the team's best players. It's unwise to project later draft picks into NHL feature roles (that's a rare outcome), but Nicholl has enough tools to be ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the system last December. Eemil Vinni is a famous prospect goaltender due to his outstanding and acrobatic saves. His critics point to inconsistency as a main issue, which is true of all teenage goaltenders. The jury will be out for several seasons on Vinni, but he owns the tools to thrive at a high level if he develops. Bauer Berry is just coming off a Clark Cup championship, as the Muskegon Lumberjacks won it all in the USHL final. Berry is a shutdown defenceman with NHL size and grit. He will play for the University of St. Thomas in the fall and is several years away from a pro contract. Advertisement Goaltender Samuel Jonsson has emerged as a top-flight prospect after his quality season in Sweden's second league (Allsvenskan). He has size, quickness, calm feet and a resume that includes excellent performances. It's uncertain when he'll come to North America, but he should be regarded as the best goalie prospect in the system. Beau Akey is a known prospect to Oilers fans. He missed most of last season due to injury, and didn't completely establish himself as a top-flight offensive defender in 2024-25. He's a speedy player, a right-handed defender, has skill and should see major minutes in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors next season. Another speedy defenceman, Damien Carfagna, is a lefty with a similar skill set to Akey. A fast train who can move the puck and is creative in making plays, Carfagna is a little older (22) than Akey and may have a more immediate impact in the AHL. He was signed out of Ohio State University this spring by Stan Bowman. Both men should be among the best talents on defence for the Condors this fall. Connor Clattenburg and Brady Stonehouse are forwards who graduated from the OHL after the 2024-25 season and saw limited action in pro hockey this spring. Both are long shots, but Clattenburg is a tough winger with speed and could carve out a role as an agitator with Bakersfield this fall. Stonehouse was signed as a scoring winger in October 2023, but his scoring levels did not sustain in the two OHL seasons that followed. It's unknown how much he will play in the AHL during 2025-26, and he could be ticketed for the ECHL Fort Wayne Komets in October. Matt Copponi, Luca Munzenberger and Joel Maatta are college men who need to be signed by Aug. 15, or the Oilers lose their playing rights, via PuckPedia. All three have things to recommend them, but Munzenberger (a two-way defender with good speed) has the highest draft pedigree. Advertisement It would be a mistake to suggest everyone in this group will be part of Edmonton's farm system (Bakersfield AHL, Fort Wayne ECHL). Three in this group have considerable pro experience in quality European leagues, and the fourth (Quinn Hutson) has already played in the NHL. Bowman was aggressive this spring in signing a group of legit players who could push for the NHL roster this fall. Chief among them are David Tomasek, who led the SweHL in points last season, and Atro Leppanen, who delivered outrageous offence in Finland's Liiga in 2024-25. Both men could vault themselves into the NHL immediately, but there's a chance they will be Condors at some point next season. Josh Samanski is a big centre (6-foot-5) who delivered solid offensive seasons for Straubing in Germany's highest league (DEL). He's a two-way pivot, and is the most likely of the Europeans in this group to play in the AHL next season. Hutson signed a deal that included NHL time, but he didn't get a chance to show much in his games with the Oilers. He'll get a good look in the fall, but is probably ticketed for Bakersfield opening night. This is the group that is signed for next year. These men will play in Edmonton, Bakersfield or Fort Wayne in the coming season. The big name here is Matt Savoie. A splendid skill forward, he saw action with the big club in 2024-25 and showed well. It's possible he doesn't see the AHL again. After that, there's a group of six players (Noah Philp, Olivier Rodrigue, Cam Dineen, Alec Regula, James Hamblin and Josh Brown) who could play in the NHL next season. If they are in Bakersfield, all will play feature roles. Matvey Petrov isn't a recall option for the year to come, but he should be based on his skill set. An electric shootout option, the passing and shooting ability is there, but has not yet been a consistent part of his game. If there's a sleeper talent on this list, it's surely Petrov. Advertisement Berezkin has reached KHL free agency, meaning a long-awaited window to sign the player is now open. Berezkin was drafted in 2020 and has emerged since as a top-quality player with a range of skills. He combines size, skill and strength into an impressive hockey package, and could push for NHL time next season. Foot speed is a concern, it's unknown if he can play at pace in the NHL. That would be disqualifying for most prospects, but the numbers show Berezkin can impact the game offensively, and that has high value. His team just won the championship, so there may be a desire to try a new challenge. He's worth pursuing. Paul Fischer was acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the Philip Broberg-Dylan Holloway trade. He's a mobile defenceman who played his sophomore season with Notre Dame (Big Ten) in 2024-25. His mature approach to the game, married to his speed, makes him a good match for the Oilers and the team's focus on those areas. The Oilers trade the first-round pick every year now, and often the second- and third-round picks as well. The job of the team is to avoid a prospect 'Death Valley,' and there are signs of life in the system. Savoie is the shining star, O'Reilly the distant hope on the horizon and Europeans like Jonsson and Berezkin could impact soon. As always, some of these names will be used as trade pieces at next year's deadline. The Oilers are pushing for Stanley, and no one is complaining about the state of the prospect pool. The day when procurement of amateur talent is a priority for Edmonton begins well into the next decade. That makes Savoie and the rest all the more important. They must cash as quality NHL players. (Photo of Sam O'Reilly: Chris Tanouye / Getty Images)
CTV News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
O'Reilly scores in OT, Knights top Wildcats 3-2 in Memorial Cup opener for both teams
London Knight Sam O'Reilly tips the puck past Moncton Wildcats goaltender Mathis Rousseau to give the Knights a 3-2 overtime win in their opening game of the Memorial Cup in Rimouski, Que on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Source: Vincent Ethier/CHL)
Globe and Mail
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
London Knights top Moncton Wildcats 3-2 in Memorial Cup
Sam O'Reilly's second goal of the game, scored at 4:23 of 3-on-3 overtime, lifted the London Knights to an exciting 3-2 victory over the Moncton Wildcats in the opening game for both teams at the 2025 Memorial Cup championship. Kasper Halttunen, with a second-period power-play goal, also scored for the Ontario Hockey League champion Knights, who outshot the Wildcats 48-29. Etienne Morin and Dyllan Gill, on the power play, scored for the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champion Wildcats, while Alex Mercier pitched in with two assists. Wildcats netminder Mathis Rousseau stopped 45 of 48 shots, while Austin Elliott of the Knights made 27 saves on 29 shots. The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period and 2-2 heading into the third. Both squads went 1-for-3 on the power play. The 10-day tournament opened Friday with the Western Hockey League champion Medicine Hat Tigers edging the host Rimouski Oceanic 5-4. The host Saginaw Spirit won the Memorial Cup last year with a 4-3 win over the London Knights in the championship final.
