In a thrilling Memorial Cup showdown on May 27, 2025, the Medicine Hat Tigers, led by head coach and GM Willie Desjardins, secured their place in the championship final with a 3-1 victory over the London Knights at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Quebec. This win was largely attributed to the stellar performance of goaltender Harrison Meneghin, who made 35 saves throughout the game.
Despite the scoreline, Desjardins expressed that he felt the Knights may have outplayed the Tigers, highlighting Meneghin's critical role in the victory. “London probably outplayed us tonight,” Desjardins remarked. “The difference tonight was Meneghin. He was outstanding in net, maybe even a little bit more than outstanding.” Meneghin's efforts were particularly meaningful, as he had recently been named the WHL playoff MVP, a recognition that came in the wake of his father's unexpected passing on the final day of the WHL regular season. His teammates rallied around him, with forward Mathew Ward stating, “We wouldn’t be going to the finals without No. 35. He’s been a rock for us all year.”
During the game, the Knights asserted dominance in the first period, with Kasper Halttunen scoring on a power play just 3:34 in. However, the Tigers responded in the second period when Ethan Neutens found the back of the net at 5:11 after a deflected shot. The game remained tied at 1-1 until a critical goal by Ward at 1:17 in the third period gave the Tigers a lead, just after the Knights missed an opportunity to score on the other end. Ryder Ritchie sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, marking his fourth of the tournament.
Throughout the match, London’s defensive roster, which included OHL playoff MVP Halttunen and standout defenceman Oliver Bonk, managed to limit the effectiveness of Tigers prodigy Gavin McKenna, who is projected as a top pick in the 2026 NHL draft. Bonk’s physicality was on display as he made pivotal plays to keep McKenna from capitalizing on key opportunities. Desjardins noted the importance of character in his team composition and expressed pride in the performance of recent additions like Ward, Neutens, and Meneghin, who had each joined from different franchises the previous season.
The Knights, who previously defeated the Moncton Wildcats and Rimouski Océanic in the tournament, were left reflecting on missed scoring opportunities. After a late-game power play, which was initially a major penalty but reduced to a minor after review, London’s Bonk lamented, “We had chances to score. We just didn’t get them.” Sam Dickinson echoed the sentiment, stating, “All three games we’ve defended well, just got to bear down on one more shot.”
With the victory, the Medicine Hat Tigers now await the winner of the upcoming semifinal between the Rimouski Océanic and the Moncton Wildcats, both of whom are looking to turn around their 0-2 tournament records. As the excitement builds for the finale, the Tigers are eager to claim their third Memorial Cup title in what marks their fourth championship appearance.
