Knights, Spirit meet in 104th Memorial Cup FinalIt’s been a long road to get here, but the road to Canadian Hockey League supremacy has come down to two of the Ontario Hockey League’s best as the London Knights and host Saginaw Spirit compete for the Memorial Cup tonight on TSN and NHL Network at 7:30pm ET.
Rivals meet for the 12th time this seasonThe two teams split a four-game season series, London took four of six in the Western Conference Championship Series, and defeated Saginaw 4-2 in Wednesday’s Memorial Cup round robin finale. The Knights have won the last two meetings, which might suggest the Spirit are due for success. Two very good teams take the ice in front of a sold out Dow Event Center tonight for the biggest game of the year.
Fifth all-OHL Memorial Cup FinalTonight’s game marks the fifth time that two OHL teams have squared off in the Memorial Cup Final. The host Windsor Spitfires were winners, defeating the OHL champion Erie Otters in 2017, the host Soo Greyhounds bested the OHL champion Peterborough Petes in 1993, the OHL champion Oshawa Generals prevailed over the Kitchener Rangers in a double-OT thriller in Hamilton in 1990, and the OHL champion Ottawa 67’s defeated the host Kitchener Rangers.
Knights pursuing third Memorial Cup titleThe London Knights have won previous Memorial Cups in 2005 (in London) and in 2016 (in Red Deer, Alta.). Head coach Dale Hunter is looking to join Don Hay as just the second coach in Memorial Cup history to win three different championships. A win tonight would pull him into a tie for first place with Hay for the most tournament wins all-time with 14.
Spirit looking to make franchise historyThe Saginaw Spirit are in the hunt for their first Memorial Cup title, having never been beyond the Western Conference Finals of the OHL Playoffs.
Veterans preparing for final OHL gameThis is it, the last stop on the line. Knights overagers in goaltender Michael Simpson and forwards Max McCue and Kaleb Lawrence will play in their final OHL contest tonight while a pair of other 19-year-olds signed to NHL entry-level deals such as Isaiah George (NYI) and Jackson Edward (BOS) could also be in the OHL for the final time tonight. For the Spirit, captain Braden Haché and forwards Josh Bloom (VAN) and Alex Christopoulos will compete one final time tonight. The Spirit feature 19-year-old NHL signees in Owen Beck (MTL), Hunter Haight (MIN), Matyas Sapovaliv (VGK) along with defencemen Jorian Donovan (OTT) and Rodwin Dionicio (ANA) all likely to be moving on following tonight’s game.
Donovan prepares for second Memorial Cup FinalOttawa Senators prospect Jorian Donovan of the Saginaw Spirit reached the Memorial Cup Final with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2022, falling by a score of 6-3 to the host Saint John Sea Dogs. Donovan hope’s the second time is the charm at the Dow Event Center tonight.
Watch tonight’s gameTonight’s Memorial Cup Final airs at 7:30pm ET on TSN 1/3 and in the United States on NHL Network.
