London Knights cruise to Memorial Cup Final win vs. Medicine Hat Tigers
The London Knights scored three times in the second period en route to a 4-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Sunday night to claim their third-ever Memorial Cup championship.
Captain Denver Barkey was instrumental with two tallies for London, while defenseman Sam Dickinson fueled the Knights' attack with three assists. Star forward Easton Cowan chipped in with the eventual game-winner.
Netminder Austin Elliott was strong between the pipes, turning aside 31 of 32 shots faced. He posted an incredible 52-3-0 record for the Knights this season.
Cowan won the Stafford Smythe Trophy as the Memorial Cup MVP after recording three goals and seven points in five contests. He was also named to the CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team:
| Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Easton Cowan | F | London |
| Gavin McKenna | F | Medicine Hat |
| Denver Barkey | F | London |
| Sam Dickinson | D | London |
| Tanner Molendyk | D | Medicine Hat |
| Austin Elliott | G | London |
London avenged its Memorial Cup Final loss to the Saginaw Spirit in 2024. The club last won the tournament in 2016.
Medicine Hat, meanwhile, was seeking its first championship since it went back-to-back in 1987 and 1988. Sunday was its first Memorial Cup Final appearance since 2007, when it fell to the Vancouver Giants.
Knights center Jacob Julien opened the scoring just past the midway mark of the first period. The Winnipeg Jets prospect struck on the breakaway after picking up a stretch pass by defenseman Henry Brzustewicz, who is eligible for this year's draft.
Cowan doubled the lead in the early stages of the middle frame with a quick strike in front off a cross-crease feed from Sam O'Reilly. The Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick in 2023, Cowan tied Mitch Marner's record for most Memorial Cup points (15) by a London Knight, according to TSN.
Philadelphia Flyers prospect Barkey picked up his first goal of the game less than two minutes later before adding another on the power play.
Dickinson - a top prospect of the San Jose Sharks - had a hand in the Knights' first three goals of the game.
Projected 2026 first overall pick McKenna got the Tigers on the board early in the third period, but that was as far as Medicine Hat's comeback attempt would get.
McKenna thought he cut the Knights' lead to two goals with around five minutes to play, but the tally was called back because of a missed high stick.
Cowan also had a goal taken away in the second period due to goaltender interference.
Medicine Hat swept its way through the round robin - including a 3-1 victory over London - to advance straight to the championship game. The Knights claimed their spot with a 5-2 win against the Moncton Wildcats in the semifinal.