Silvertips concede in Memorial Cup final to OHL’s Kitchener Rangers
Kelowna, B.C.- A historic season for one of the WHL’s most consistent clubs has come to an end.
After setting a franchise record for wins (57), collecting a second-straight regular season title and the club’s first WHL Championship, the Everett Silvertips fell 6-2 to the Kitchener Rangers in the Memorial Cup Final.
“We rode this train as long as we could,” 2026 WHL Coach of the Year Steve Hamilton said. “We played 91 games and never lost back-to-back. I don’t know if any other teams can say that. Incredibly proud of our group. I mean, we’re WHL champions. This is the greatest team in Everett Silvertips history.”
NHL Draft-eligible Matias Vanhanen (NHL CSS: 54) and Landon DuPont, the WHL’s first exceptional-status defenceman, were also named to the 2026 Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
Everett reached the title match in its tournament debut, despite having the fewest NHL prospects (five) of any of the four participating teams.
Vanhanen and Detroit Red Wings first-round pick Carter Bear netted the team’s pair against the OHL champs.
The Blueshirts were first on the board in front of a sold-out crowd at Prospera Place.
Alexander Bilecki drove a long shot on net, where Ottawa Senators pick Luke Ellinas was all alone to tip a shot off his skate and past Anders Miller.
But the Silvertips answered back on the very next shift.
Vanhanen burst over the blue line before passing off to DuPont, who whipped a shot on San Jose Sharks prospect Christian Kirsch.
Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O’Reilly attempted to collect the rebound, but Vanhanen was in a perfect position to swat the loose puck into the net for his fourth goal of the tournament.
With the primary assist, DuPont tied former Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa for most points by an exceptional-status skater in the Memorial Cup with five.
WHAT A RESPONSE FROM THE TIPS!!! 😮💨
Matias Vanhanen (2026 #NHLDraft Eligible Prospect) gets his 4th of the #MemorialCup and evens things up.
🇨🇦 TSN 1/3/4 | RDS
🇺🇸 NHL Network | Victory+@WHLsilvertips pic.twitter.com/3f3Y6qat2f— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 31, 2026
Dylan Edwards ensured the Rangers would head to the rooms with an advantage after burying a backhand deke on a breakaway in the back half of the first frame for a 2-1 lead.
Zackary Shantz appeared to tie the game less than a minute and a half into the second period, but his gritty effort was called back after he appeared to bat the puck in with his hand.
Instead, it was the Rangers picking up steam, with Los Angeles Kings prospect Jared Woolley ripping a shot top corner from the left faceoff dot.
Kitchener added some insurance early in the final frame with a Jack Pridham tally on a 5-on-3 powerplay and a follow-up on an O’Reilly shot that deflected off a Silvertips skater and into the net.
The Silvertips mustered a late push as DuPont held the puck at the point and fed it low for WHL Playoffs MVP Julius Miettinen, who centered for a Carter Bear tap-in to cut the deficit to three, before Kitchener iced the game with an empty-netter.
O’Reilly skated away with the Stafford Smythe Trophy, which is awarded annually to the tournament MVP.
Anders Miller made 26 saves in the loss, while Kirsch makes history as the third European goaltender selected in the CHL Import Draft to win the Memorial Cup.
Vanhanen and defenceman Brek Liske will now make tracks for Buffalo, N.Y. to take part in the NHL Combine ahead of the NHL Draft in June.
“The sting will fade, and with time, you’re able to have a bit of perspective and look back and celebrate this year, celebrate each other, celebrate the moments,” Hamilton added. “There’s a lifetime of memories packed into a year, and you know, right now you can’t see past the sting of losing the final game of the season. That’ll take some time, but there’s so much to celebrate, there’s so much to look back and really honor the year that we had together, because this was a special group.”
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