Kitchener Captures Memorial Cup With 6-2 Win Over Everett

Photo by Steve Dunsmoor / CHL


KELOWNA, B.C. — The Kitchener Rangers completed a perfect run through the 2026 Memorial Cup on Sunday, scoring twice in the opening 63 seconds of the third period and defeating the Everett Silvertips 6-2 before a sellout crowd at Prospera Place in Kelowna.



Kitchener finished the tournament undefeated and beat Everett for the second time in the event after previously earning a 6-2 victory over the Silvertips during round-robin play.



The Rangers opened the scoring at 5:47 of the first period when Luke Ellinas tipped home a puck directed toward the net by Alexander Bilecki, with Haeden Ellis also earning an assist for a 1-0 lead.



Everett answered just 28 seconds later as Matias Vanhanen buried a scramble in front to tie the game 1-1. Calgary product Landon DuPont collected the primary assist on the equalizer.



Kitchener restored its lead midway through the first period when Jack Pridham helped start a rush from the defensive zone before Sam O'Reilly found Dylan Edwards streaking through the middle. Edwards finished with a forehand-to-backhand move on the breakaway to give the Rangers a 2-1 advantage.



The Silvertips carried much of the play early and outshot the Rangers 15-7 in the first period. Everett also generated sustained pressure during a four-minute power play, but Kitchener's penalty kill escaped unscathed as the Rangers carried their 2-1 lead into the intermission.



Everett appeared to tie the game early in the second period, but video review determined the puck had been batted into the net and the goal was disallowed. Moments later, Christian Kirsch denied Everett forward Carter Bear on a quality scoring chance to preserve Kitchener's one-goal lead.



The Rangers extended their advantage at 15:26 of the second period when Jared Woolley finished a slick backhand feed from Ellis. Cameron Arquette earned the secondary assist on the goal that made it 3-1.



A late second-period sequence proved pivotal. Everett's Ruedig was assessed a holding penalty before Zachary Shantz cross-checked Sam O'Reilly while he was down on the ice, creating a two-man advantage for Kitchener to begin the third with a 3-1 lead.



The Rangers wasted no time capitalizing.



Pridham scored on the power play just 26 seconds into the third period to make it 4-1 before O'Reilly added another power-play goal only 37 seconds later, extending the lead to 5-1.



Bear responded for Everett at 2:59 of the third period, cutting the deficit to 5-2 with DuPont earning his second assist of the game, but the Silvertips could get no closer.



Christian Humphreys added a shorthanded empty-net goal with 1:37 remaining to complete the 6-2 victory.



O'Reilly finished with a goal and three assists, while Pridham recorded a goal and two assists. Ellis contributed two assists and DuPont had two assists for Everett.



The teams finished tied 32-32 in shots. Kirsch stopped 30 of 32 shots for a .938 save percentage, while Anders Miller made 26 saves on 31 shots for an .839 save percentage. Kitchener went 2-for-3 on the power play and held Everett scoreless on three opportunities.



The championship caps a dominant season for the Rangers, who went 16-2 in the OHL playoffs before completing a perfect run through the Memorial Cup.