RIMOUSKI, Quebec — In a stellar display of skill, the Philadelphia Flyers prospect, Denver Barkey, found the back of the net twice in the second period, paving the way for the London Knights’ triumph over the Medicine Hat Tigers with a 4-1 victory on Saturday night. This victory crowned the Knights with their third Memorial Cup title.
Contributing to the scoreboard were Jacob Julien and Easton Cowan, complementing a strong performance by Austin Elliott, who made 31 crucial saves. This win marks the Ontario Hockey League champion Knights’ redemption a year after they fell to host Saginaw in the final.
“It’s a moment I will cherish forever,” shared Barkey, the captain of the London team. “This has been our goal all season, and this group is the closest-knit team I’ve ever had the honor to play with. Achieving this with my teammates feels surreal and is something I’ll carry with me for a lifetime.”
After suffering a 3-1 defeat to the Western Hockey League champion Medicine Hat during the round-robin stage earlier in the week, London Knights bounced back with a robust 5-2 victory over Moncton in the semifinal on Friday, setting the stage for a rematch against the Tigers.
This victory adds to London’s previous Memorial Cup wins, with their past triumphs in 2005 and 2016. The Knights’ ownership includes former NHL players Dale and Mark Hunter, and Basil McRae. Dale Hunter is also at the helm as president and coach, while Mark serves as the general manager.
Dale Hunter’s third title win places him alongside former Kamloops and Vancouver coach Don Hay on the record charts. “Leaving empty-handed is a bitter pill,” Dale reflected. “We had an excellent season, but triumph lies in winning that last game. That’s what defines success in this tournament.”
Gavin McKenna from Medicine Hat managed to end Elliott’s shutout early in the third period, with Harrison Meneghin making 20 saves for the Tigers, who previously won the Memorial Cup in 1987 and 1988.
“They put in a lot of effort,” asserted Tigers coach Willie Desjardins. “The only issue was that London is an outstanding team. Our desire and attempts were there, but ultimately, they are a formidable opponent.”
The game saw Julien break the ice midway through the first period. Cowan, selected in the first round by Toronto, and Barkey scored within 1:40 of each other early in the second period. Barkey capped his noteworthy performance with a power-play goal, making it 4-0, as 7:52 remained in the period.