Jack Pridham and Sam O’Reilly each scored once and added an assist, while Christian Kirsch stopped 26 shots as the Kitchener Rangers beat the Chicoutimi Sagueneens 3-2 on Tuesday at the Memorial Cup in Kelowna, B.C. Luca Romano also scored for Kitchener, and Dylan Edwards contributed two assists as the Ontario Hockey League champions improved to 3-0 in round-robin play at Prospera Place. With the win, the Rangers secured a direct berth into Sunday’s Memorial Cup final. The OHL team has now won the last two Memorial Cups, with the Saginaw Spirit taking the title in 2024 and the London Knights winning in 2025.
Chicoutimi received goals from Emile Ricard and Mavrick Lachance but fell to 1-2 in the tournament. The Sagueneens were outshot 28-18 overall and 13-3 in the third period, yet Kitchener held on after taking a 2-1 lead into the final frame. Neither side scored on its two power-play chances.
The game opened cautiously, with both teams failing to score in the first period. Kitchener then gained the edge through the middle frame and protected the lead late despite pressure from Chicoutimi. The Sagueneens, champions of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, had earlier lost to Everett before defeating host Kelowna in overtime, keeping their hopes alive for the playoff round.
Chicoutimi’s path now depends on Wednesday’s meeting between the Everett Silvertips and the Kelowna Rockets in the all-Western Hockey League matchup. If Everett wins, the Sagueneens will advance to the playoff round. Kelowna, meanwhile, remains winless after two games and closes round-robin play against Everett. The Silvertips previously eliminated the Rockets from the WHL playoffs in a five-game series, with the final two games decided in overtime.
