RIMOUSKI – The London Knights have triumphed in the Memorial Cup, capturing their third title with a commanding 4-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. This championship game took place on Sunday at Colisée Financière Sun Life, marking a significant redemption for the Knights after their heartbreaking loss in last year's final.

Denver Barkey, the Knights' captain, played a pivotal role in the victory, scoring two goals. He expressed his emotions during the on-ice celebrations, stating, "This is something I’ll never forget. We worked all year toward this, and this is the tightest team I’ve ever played on. To be able to do it with these guys. It’s so surreal. Gonna remember this for life."

The Knights had previously suffered a devastating 4-3 defeat to the Saginaw Spirit in the 2024 Memorial Cup final, where they conceded the winning goal with just 22 seconds left. This time, however, the team erupted in joy as they celebrated their victory. Head coach Dale Hunter, drenched in green Gatorade, reflected on the importance of winning, saying, "It’s an empty feeling when you go home with nothing. When you come to this tournament, you had a good year, but when you don’t win the last game, it’s not successful."

In addition to Barkey's contributions, Sam Dickinson provided three assists, and Austin Elliott made 31 saves for the Knights. Jacob Julien and tournament MVP Easton Cowan also found the net for London, which previously won the Memorial Cup in 2005 and 2016. Cowan, who tied Barkey with seven points in the tournament, made history by becoming the first player since 1972 to lead the tournament in scoring for consecutive years. He also tied Mitch Marner for the most Memorial Cup points in franchise history with 15 in nine games.

Hunter praised Cowan's performance, stating, "The Cowboy was outstanding. All through the season, all through the playoffs, he’s been one of our main catalysts. He had to pick it up again, and he did again, hit another level in him. That’s awesome for us to win — and for the Leafs for the future."

Cowan, who faced challenges after last year's loss and two early exits with Canada’s world junior team, concluded his OHL career on a high note. He remarked, "A lot of people hate and a lot of people love. The people that love me will keep loving, the people that hate, maybe I can get them on board."

Gavin McKenna, a projected top choice in the next NHL draft, scored the lone goal for Medicine Hat. The Tigers had previously defeated the Knights 3-1 in round-robin play to secure their spot in the final. Harrison Meneghin, the Tigers' goaltender, stopped 20 shots during the game.

The Knights dominated the tournament, finishing the regular season with a record of 55-11-2 and losing only once in the playoffs. The Tigers, on the other hand, had a strong season with a 47-17-4 record but faced challenges in the final. Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins acknowledged the strength of the Knights, saying, "They cared, they tried. Coming in, we only have one problem, that’s London’s a really good hockey team. It wasn’t that we didn’t want it, wasn’t that we didn’t try. They’re just a good team."

The Knights' journey to the championship included a semifinal victory over the Moncton Wildcats, who won the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, with a score of 5-2. The Rimouski Oceanic, the tournament hosts, unfortunately lost all three of their games.

In the championship game, London took control with three goals in the second period. Cowan opened the scoring early in the second, followed by Barkey's breakaway goal. Although Cowan appeared to score again, the goal was disallowed due to interference. Barkey then scored his second goal, solidifying the Knights' lead.

McKenna managed to break Elliott's shutout bid in the third period, but a second potential goal for him was called off after a review. Despite the Tigers' efforts, the Knights held on to their lead and celebrated their victory as champions once again.