https://chl.ca/whl Mon, 25 May 2026 17:45:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://chl.ca/whl/article/sagueneens-ground-rockets-in-overtime-at-memorial-cup Mon, 25 May 2026 04:42:01 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/sagueneens-ground-rockets-in-overtime-at-memorial-cup Kelowna, B.C.-  The Kelowna Rockets brought the physicality and the opportunities, but found themselves grounded by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in a 3-2 overtime loss at the Memorial Cup on Sunday night. Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla earned Kelowna's first goal of the tournament, while Josh Banini made 26 saves in his tournament debut. "I was really proud of the resiliency of the group on their bounce back," Head Coach Derrick Martin told reporters. "I thought that the guys were really bought in, and the bench was really energetic this evening. It's a game of inches. We lost one more inch than they did, which is unfortunate. At the same time, what makes me proud of this group is they're never going to quit, they're never going to say die. We've still got an opportunity, and our plan now is to come here on Wednesday night and change the script a little bit." Bolstered by a feverish crowd, Kelowna imposed its will on the Sagueneens through the early goings, but the team had had its apparent first goal of the tournament- a low wrister from Shane Smith- called off due to goaltender interference. Chicoutimi got a taste of the same disappointment after the QMJHL Champs had a goal of their own disallowed due to a hand pass, but broke through for real after a failed pinch saw Liam Lefebvre fly down the ice on a breakaway to fake and bury a backhand shot. In the second period, alternate captain Iginla got the fans on their feet with the Rockets' first goal of the Memorial Cup- for real. Nashville Predators prospect Hiroki Gojsic carried the puck down the wall before reversing the puck to Iginla for a one-timer that was destined for the twine on the blocker side. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058737396871823420 The Rockets nearly took their first lead of the night on an odd-man rush with seven minutes left in the frame, but Beckman reminded fans why he was a finalist for QMJHL Goaltender of the Year with a sensational glove save. It all came down to the final 20 minutes, where the Sags broke through with a tipped shot from Anton Linde that barely eked over the goal line, despite a furious attempt by Banini to paddle it down. As the Rockets shot into desperation mode, alternate captain Mazden Leslie played hero by redirecting a wide rebound into a yawning Chicoutimi cage to ensure the teams would march on. Leslie, the WHL's active games played leader and 2025 WHL Defenceman of the Year finalist, skated as a right winger for the second time in May in hopes of giving the team an offensive jolt. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058757525324124339 The Rockets survived a late penalty kill to push the game to three-on-three, sudden-death overtime, where Lefebvre called game with his second strike of the night. Kelowna (0-1-1) is idle until Wednesday, May 27, when they face off against their playoff rival Everett Silvertips (1-0-0) in an all-WHL round-robin finale. Everett is back in the hot seat to battle the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers (1-0-0) on Monday, May 25, at 6:00 p.m. PT. TSN will carry all games for fans in Canada, while Victory+ is streaming for free for fans in the United States and around the world. NHL Network is also broadcasting for U.S.-based fans.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-head-to-head-predators-prospects-gojsic-and-huang-on-the-prowl Mon, 25 May 2026 00:39:40 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-head-to-head-predators-prospects-gojsic-and-huang-on-the-prowl Kelowna, B.C.- The Kelowna Rockets and Chicoutimi Sagueneens are ready to hit the Prospera Place ice in search of their first win of the 2026 Memorial Cup. While one team will be reduced to prey, the battle features at least two Predators. Rockets forward Hiroki Gojsic and Sagueneens defenceman Alex Huang both call the Nashville Predators organization home. Gojsic, 20, was tapped by the Preds with the 94th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-4, 203-pound winger has collected 60 goals and 68 assists for 128 points in 184 games over parts of three seasons in Kelowna and averaged a career-best .75 points per game in 2025-26. He also added a goal and two assists in nine games in the 2026 WHL Playoffs, with his lone tally coming as part of a massive Rockets comeback for a 4-3 overtime win against the eventual-WHL Champion Silvertips in Game 4. Gojsic, from Langley, B.C., put pen to paper on his entry-level deal with Nashville back in the fall of 2024. After being shut out by Kitchener 5-0 in the tournament opener, generating offence is the name of the game for Gojsic and the Rockets. "I think just be better in a neutral zone, just move pucks quicker, and have that shot mentality," Gojsic said on Sunday morning. "I think last game we passed up some looks that we probably could have shot on, and maybe that was the difference. Our team identity is being physical, so whenever somebody makes a big hit or a big play or something like that, then yeah, we get pretty excited, for sure." The rough-and-tumble Rockets will try to stymie the smooth-skating Huang, who already scored at the tournament to briefly give Chicoutimi a 2-1 lead over Everett on Saturday night- though the Silvertips would roar back for a 5-3 win. Huang potted 11 goals and 59 assists for 70 points in 62 games in his third season with the Sags. The 6-foot, 180-pound rearguard also finished second in playoff scoring among all QMJHL defencemen with 19 points (2G-17A) in 20 contests. Huang, from Rosemere, Que., was selected by the Predators with the 122nd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. "They're willing to throw numbers at you in order to get pucks, and when they have the puck and they can get up to speed, they're a dangerous hockey team," Rockets Head Coach Derrick Martin said. "I thought Everett did a good job of getting numbers above them, and then when Everett had the puck, lengthening the rink and making them chase a little bit. It's a copycat league that we play in, so you've got to take some of that stuff at the same time, you've got to make it your own, so we've got to make sure we compete to get pucks back hard." The Rockets and Sagueneens face off at 6:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 24. Fans in Canada can follow along on TSN, while Victory+ will carry the action for fans in the United States and around the world.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-game-3-player-to-watch-vojtech-cihar-kelowna-rockets Sun, 24 May 2026 23:01:00 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-game-3-player-to-watch-vojtech-cihar-kelowna-rockets Kelowna, B.C.- The 2026 Memorial Cup features one of the most impressive classes of import players the CHL has seen in years, and Kelowna Rockets forward Vojtech Cihar is certainly one to watch. In the past year, Cihar has gone from hearing his name called at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles, where he was selected by the Kings themselves, to a lackluster start in the Czech Extraliga, a breakout performance at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, a fresh start in the Okanagan, and now, a chance to play for one of the most coveted trophies in the sporting world. "It's kind of crazy, I know," Cihar said. "I'm just trying to live my life and try to try to, like, be the best in every team I will be in." Cihar had just eight points (4G-4A) in 27 games with HC Energie Karlovy Vary before World Juniors, and the Rockets had acquired his rights in a blockbuster trade with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (a move that also saw veteran Shane Smith make tracks for B.C.). The Chomutov, Cze. product had fans in Europe- and Kelowna- buzzing as he posted 12 points (4G-8A) in seven games to earn World Juniors silver and tournament MVP honours. But he admits he needed a change of scenery when it came to his club team, and Los Angeles brass wanted to see the 19-year-old develop his game in the WHL, so after the tournament, it was time to land in North America, with a new team and smaller ice surface waiting for him. Cihar was surprised by how similar Kelowna and his hometown were in terms of nature and scenery- and it didn't take long to find his footing at the rink, either. He erupted for 12 goals (including a hat trick) and 19 assists in 31 regular-season games to close out the campaign and hit a new gear in the postseason with a team-leading 13 points (6G-7A). https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2039195328608604643 Perhaps most importantly, he assisted the game-tying and overtime goal in Game 4 and the game-tying goal to force extra time in Game 5 against the eventual-WHL Champion Everett Silvertips in their second-round series. For Head Coach Derrick Martin, Cihar's impact goes far beyond scoring. "He might lead our team in shot blocks in the playoffs, and his willingness to put his body on the line to make plays," Martin remarked. "He has an ability to play really heavy in one-on-one battles and come out with a lot of pucks, and some of that's his headiness and his intelligence, but you know, some of it's just his will. I don't think it took him a whole bunch of time to get really comfortable here and play the game that he's capable of. He's a guy that's beloved in the dressing room, he's a bit of a glue guy for us, and he does a lot of little things on the ice that you know, I don't even know that the average fan gets to pay attention to, but we appreciate a whole bunch." Cihar has also found sizzling chemistry with Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla. With all his early success with the Rockets, it's a little surprising that Cihar feels his confidence is the aspect of his game that's grown the most in 2025-26. "Confidence to be more on the puck and play with the puck, make the plays, and maybe just like try to shoot more than in Czechia," Cihar explained. "Maybe the physicality improved a lot, too, and obviously the skating too, because it's such a fast, fast league, and I just needed to adjust." https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2021814740692197585 Cihar will look for another clutch performance as Kelowna faces the QMJHL Champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Sunday night- and his family and girlfriend have made the trek from Czechia to cheer him on. Both clubs are on the hunt for their first wins at the tournament. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. PT at Prospera Place. Fans in Canada can watch the game on TSN, while NHL Network and Victory+ are available for those in the United States. Additionally, fans outside of Canada can stream the action on Victory+.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/memorial-cup-lookback-rockets-defend-home-ice-with-franchise-first-memorial-cup Sun, 24 May 2026 21:46:03 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/memorial-cup-lookback-rockets-defend-home-ice-with-franchise-first-memorial-cup Kelowna, B.C.-  Twenty-two years after the Kelowna Rockets won the Memorial Cup on home ice, memories of the Cinderella run still echo throughout Prospera Place. So much has changed, but so much is the same. The old scoreboard has been replaced by a sleek, high-tech jumbotron, then-captain Josh Gorges is behind the bench and alumni like Shea Weber are in the stands, rather than on the ice, but the passion never left. It feels like yesterday that a sold-out crowd nearly took the roof off the joint during the anthems alone, amping up netminder Kelly Guard with a rousing 'On GUARD for thee' during O Canada. Back on May 23, 2004, Guard was near-unassailable in the Memorial Cup final, a 2-1 win over the QMJHL Champion Gatineau Olympiques. Guillaume Fornier put Gatineau ahead on a third-period powerplay strike, but the Rockets mustered a comeback for ages. Just over three minutes later, Randall Gelech found the equalizer by snapping a rebound past David Tremblay and throwing himself flat into the glass in celebration- almost like he was hoping to pass through it and embrace the fans themselves. With overtime on the horizon, Justin Keller did it all himself with a tight backhander that just found its way between the goaltender and the post to eke across the goal line. Looking back, it would be worth asking how much of the arena reaction Keller himself saw before he was enveloped by a swarm of red Rockets jerseys. The Memorial Cup is lauded as the hardest trophy to win in all of sports- and that Rockets core knew that better than anybody. While they entered the tournament as the host team, they'd been agonizingly close to getting to the big dance in seasons prior. "Each year we just got a little bit further," Gorges recalled. "We lost out in the first round in my first year. The second year, we make the second round. Third year, we went to the Memorial Cup. Fourth year, we won. So it was this progression that kind of built over time, and over that time, I mean, people in this city really gravitated to the Kelowna Rockets." The title meant something extra to Gorges, who grew up in Kelowna and had watched the team closely since it relocated from Tacoma in 1995-96. "They gave me my chance," Gorges, now 41, added. "I was a no-name guy playing bantam hockey. Didn't get drafted, didn't know where things were going to go, and the Kelowna Rockets reached out- my hometown, which was special itself- but for whatever reason, they gave me an opportunity. Without that, I wouldn't be where I am today. I talked to Bruce (Hamilton) a lot about this, just that opportunity to come and let me show that I can play at this level, and I can be a guy that can come and help do some things here." Some fans might remember that Gorges actually wasn't the first to lift the Memorial Cup during the trophy presentation, instead handing it to Hamilton for the first hoist before taking it back to his teammates. At the time, they were only the third-ever host team to win the CHL's top prize and the first host to go undefeated at the tournament, having stumped Guelph 1-0, Gatineau 4-1, and Medicine Hat 2-1 in round-robin action. The 2003-04 Rockets featured cult favourite players like Guard, who won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as tournament MVP and Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the Memorial Cup's top goaltender; Gorges, who won the George Parsons Trophy for most sportsmanlike player and went on to play 13 seasons in the NHL; Blake Comeau, who strung together 16 seasons in the show; and, of course, Shea Weber- the two-time Olympic gold medalist whose NHL career spanned more than two decades and 1,038 regular-season games. Current Rockets like Tij Iginla (Utah Mammoth) and Vojtech Cihar (Los Angeles Kings) carry similar weighty expectations- and they'll fight to recreate that magic on Sunday night as Kelowna faces the QMJHL champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens in round-robin action. Puck drop at Prospera Place is set for 6:00 p.m. PT.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/silvertips-down-chicoutimi-sagueneens-5-3-for-first-ever-memorial-cup-win-in-tournament-debut Sun, 24 May 2026 04:01:03 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/silvertips-down-chicoutimi-sagueneens-5-3-for-first-ever-memorial-cup-win-in-tournament-debut Kelowna, B.C.- The Everett Silvertips can add another first to their historic 2025-26 season. Veteran forward Jesse Heslop picked up a goal and an assist as the WHL Champions defeated the QMJHL-winning Chicoutimi Sagueneens 5-3 in their Memorial Cup-opening match on Saturday night. Fittingly, it was the longest-serving active Silvertip, Heslop, who scored the team's first-ever goal at the tournament. The Nanaimo, B.C. product got the cowbells rattling just 1:14 into the period with a no-look backhand shot that fooled Ottawa Senators prospect Lucas Beckman. "Jesse's a fabric guy around here and has been for a long time," 2026 WHL Coach of the Year Steve Hamilton said postgame. "Probably some symbolism in that. He's been here, he's been through some playoff disappointments, so obviously the year is special for him as well as the rest of the group." https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058357972070445192 The Silvertips buzzed as they outshot the Sagueneens 8-0 through the first seven minutes of play, but the QMJHL Champs drew even as forward Christophe Berthelot converted on the Everett doorstep. Philadelphia Flyers prospect Luke Vlooswyk denied the Sagueneens of another golden opportunity as he hit the ice for a major block to break up a two-on-one rush, and Anders Miller ensured the teams would hit the dressing rooms tied at one as he robbed QMJHL regular-season MVP Maxim Masse (Anaheim Ducks) of a grade-A chance on the edge of the blue paint. In the middle frame, Nashville Predators pick gave Chicoutimi its first lead of the game with a bar-down rip, but as the goal was being announced, Lukas Kaplan blew down the ice and wristed a hard shot on Beckman. The puck bobbled through the goaltender and trickled over the goal line, with Kayd Ruedig on the scene to ensure it made it all the way. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058376252428525941 Heslop continued his whale of a game by winning a low puck battle and sneaking a pass to a wide-open Zackary Shantz on the back door for a tap-in. https://twitter.com/CHLHockey/status/2058378166260101226 In another blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, Defenceman of the Year finalist Landon DuPont thwarted an attempted Chicoutimi breakout and wired a centering feed to Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear for a one-timer in the slot. Bear's first goal of the tournament marked three second-period goals and two tallies in a span of 50 seconds for the lone U.S.-based club at the Memorial Cup. It would also stand as the game-winning goal. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058383766935183692 "(We) often talk about response and how important it is to talk and breathe after moments and not feel that tension, and we responded right away, which was good," Hamilton added. "And then we really had a solid push, and, you know, that's a key component for us, resiliency within games, within moments, not letting them snowball against us, trying to cut that off and regain that push." With the netminder pulled and the Sags on a late powerplay, Masse got his side within one with a 6-on-4 goal with under 28 seconds left in regulation. But Draft-eligible Matias Vanhanen stifled any more hope of a QMJHL comeback as he picked off a Chicoutimi breakout pass and gave his team some breathing room with an empty-netter moments later. Anchorage, Alaska product Anders Miller denied 22 of 25 shots for a .880 save percentage, while Heslop was named Player of the Game. Everett (1-0-0) returns to the ice on Monday, May 24, against the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers (1-0-0). The host Kelowna Rockets (0-1-0) will try to muscle out their first win of the tournament against Chicoutimi (0-1-0) on Sunday, May 25, at 6:00 p.m. PT.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-game-2-player-to-watch-landon-dupont-everett-silvertips Sun, 24 May 2026 00:35:51 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-game-2-player-to-watch-landon-dupont-everett-silvertips Kelowna, B.C.- Landon has landed. Sixteen-year-old Everett Silvertips alternate captain Landon DuPont has broken new ground throughout his junior hockey career. He's the first defenceman to be granted exceptional status to play in the WHL full-time as a 15-year-old. He's the first defenceman aged 16 or younger to hit 50 points in their rookie season since Hockey Hall-of-Famer Scott Niedermayer in 1989-90. He helped the Everett Silvertips capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in franchise history. Now, he's set his sights on the 2026 Memorial Cup. "We're here to win," DuPont told reporters ahead of the 'Tips tournament-opening game against the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. "We're not just here to be here and have fun, we're here to win. This is a business trip." https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2057957108486988102 The 5-foot-11, 183-pound rearguard will garner much of the attention from the QMJHL Champion Sagueneens in Game 2 on Saturday night. DuPont dominated in his second WHL season with 73 points (18G-55A) and a +59 rating in 63 regular-season games and was named a finalist for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy for WHL Defenceman of the Year. He also cracked the 2025-26 WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team. But he ultimately won the trophy that matters most. DuPont netted 23 points (5G-18A) in 18 postseason tilts to bring Everett to the 'tip' of the mountain. The Calgary, Alta. product was only held off the scoresheet twice in the postseason and went on an 11-game point streak to kick off the playoffs. "You look at the elite puck movers in the NHL, and the qualities that they have, and I think he's got all those," Silvertips bench boss and 2026 WHL Coach of the Year Steve Hamilton said. "His physical strength- you know, he's not super tall, but he's so strong, and and that allows him to separate. When he's under pressure, he's able to separate and escape, and then once his head's up and he's looking downfield, he sees what's open." DuPont's efforts helped the Silvertips establish themselves as the highest scoring and stingiest team of the four clubs competing for CHL glory. Now, the projected top 2027 NHL Draft pick is gunning to become the third CHL exceptional status player to win the Memorial Cup. It all starts on Saturday, May 23 at 6:00 p.m. PT at Prospera Place. TSN will carry the game for fans in Canada, while those in the United States can follow along on NHL Network or Victory+. Victory+ is also available for viewers in the U.S. and around the world.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-head-to-head-kraken-prospects-miettinen-and-bernier-go-from-vegas-draft-to-memorial-cup Sat, 23 May 2026 23:44:39 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-head-to-head-kraken-prospects-miettinen-and-bernier-go-from-vegas-draft-to-memorial-cup Kelowna, B.C.- Julius Miettinen and Alexis Bernier first crossed paths on one of the biggest days of their lives. On June 29, 2024, both young men heard their names echo throughout the cavernous Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the newest members of the Seattle Kraken organization. Miettinen, a beefy centreman from Helsinki, Finland, had burst onto the WHL scene with 31 goals in his first season with the Everett Silvertips. Seattle snapped him up with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the NHL Draft. In the third round, at 73rd overall, shutdown defenceman Bernier followed. "We had like a little family party afterwards," Miettinen recalled. "He's a good guy and a good player." Any rapport the pair have built in the following years will evaporate as they hit the ice for their Memorial Cup debuts on Saturday, as the WHL Champion Silvertips battle the QMJHL-winning Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Miettinen is coming off a statement season that saw him sign his entry-level deal with the Kraken in October before notching a career-best 76 points (35G-41A) and a +60 rating in 52 regular-season games. The 20-year-old popped off for another 27 points (14G-13A) in 18 games to earn WHL Playoff MVP honours and Everett's first WHL Championship. "I've been here for three years," Miettinen said ahead of Everett's first-ever Memorial Cup bout. " It's awesome to have this success with the guys we've been here with for three years." https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2055507179806056470 The 6-foot-3, 207-pound centreman headlines Everett's formidable top line that also features 2025 Detroit Red Wings first-round pick Carter Bear and 2026 NHL Draft-eligible Matias Vanhanen. No doubt, Bernier and company have done their homework on the trio. "He's a big, big guy," Bernier said. "He can skate, he can pass, he can shoot. Total package, so he's always dangerous and has good vision. It's gonna be a good challenge against him." A 6-foot-1, 202-pound rearguard from St-Valérien, Quebec, Bernier is only four days removed from putting pen to paper on his own three-year, entry-level deal with Seattle. The 19-year-old didn't miss a step in a shortened season after missing the bulk of the fall as he recovered from offseason ACL surgery. Chicoutimi acquired him in a blockbuster trade in late December and saw him return to the lineup with 12 points (4G-8A) in just 21 regular-season outings. Bernier locked in with another seven points (4G-3A) in 20 games to help the Sagueneens win the Gilles-Courteau Trophy and earn a ticket to Kelowna. https://twitter.com/QMJHL/status/2056241137241743567 "He's good at everything," Miettinen added. "He's pretty well at skating for his size. He's hard to play against." It's been a long road from the NHL Draft in Vegas to the CHL's highest stage in the Okanagan- but only one Seattle Kraken prospect will hit the jackpot in their tournament opener. The Sagueneens are enjoying their fourth trip to the tournament, while the Silvertips are embarking on their maiden Memorial Cup voyage. Everett and Chicoutimi hit the ice for a 6:00 p.m. PT puck drop at Prospera Place, the home of the Kelowna Rockets, on Saturday, May 23. Fans can follow along on TSN in Canada, NHL Network in the United States, and Victory+ in the U.S. and around the globe.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/rockets-deliver-physical-gusto-but-fall-to-kitchener-rangers-in-memorial-cup-opener Sat, 23 May 2026 04:04:30 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/rockets-deliver-physical-gusto-but-fall-to-kitchener-rangers-in-memorial-cup-opener Kelowna, B.C.- The 2026 Memorial Cup opener delivered heavy hits, ground-shaking tilts, and, ultimately, a 5-0 win for the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers over the host Kelowna Rockets. Five different skaters lit the ramp for the Blueshirts, while San Jose Sharks prospect Christian Kirsch posted a 23-save shutout in front of a sold-out crowd at Prospera Place. "I thought there was a lot of energy in the building," Rockets Head Coach Derrick Martin said postgame. "I thought that, as a group, we needed to do more with the puck early on in the hockey game. It took us a long time to get any type of flow to our game going on with the puck, and when you're chasing and you're giving a team like that enough opportunities at the net, you're going to pay the price." Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Peyton Kettles made his return to the Rockets lineup after missing more than six months after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Rockets' blueline got another shakeup as alternate captain and 2025 WHL Defenceman of the Year finalist Mazden Leslie made his Memorial Cup debut at forward. Dylan Edwards, who finished third in the OHL Playoffs goals race with 14 tucks, logged the first goal of the tournament just under five minutes into the first period when a Carson Campbell shot ricocheted off the back boards and onto his stick, where he ripped it off the shoulder of Boettiger and into the net. The opening frame was more defined by its physicality than offence for the host Rockets. Six-foot-4, 230-pound forward Dawson Gerwing laid several punishing hits on Rangers players before dropping the mitts against Los Angeles Kings prospect Jared Woolley. The Rockets got one of their best bursts in the final minute as New York Islanders prospect Tomas Poletin fed a trailing Keith McInnis on the rush. McInnis put a sharp wrister on net with Leslie and Poletin on the doorstep, hacking away for a potential rebound. Kitchener took a narrow 1-0 lead but a commanding 14-6 edge on the shot clock after 20 minutes. The second period saw 2025 NHL Draft-eligible Harrison Boettiger (NHL CSS: 10) come up big with several highlight-reel saves, including a glove save on a one-timer from Vancouver Canucks prospect Gabriel Chiarot and a pad stop on Ottawa Senators pick Luke Ellinas. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058017355800940620 Poletin, who potted 20 goals in 43 games through the regular season, nearly set up another goal as he burst down the ice to feed Shane Smith on a two-on-one, but Kirsch remained unsolvable. Three-time WHL Champion Woolley got some revenge late in the period as he converted a centering pass from Jack Pridham to double the lead entering the final period. Leslie was forced from the game after getting crunched by a trio of Rangers early in the third, and alternate captain Nate Corbet stepped in to defend his teammate with a thunderous tilt against Campbell. While the 21-year-old from Lloydminster, Alta., was able to return, the Rockets were unable to muster a goal. Pridham kicked off a third-period spurt of goals on a breakaway before 2025 Memorial Cup champ Sam O'Reilly and Haeden Ellis cashed in to close out the scoring. Boettiger turned aside 34 of 39 shots for a .872 save percentage, while holding the Rangers scoreless on four powerplay opportunities. "Short mentality, goldfish memory, just trying to reset, make sure we're well recovered, and start prepping for Chicoutimi," Captain Carson Wetsch told reporters. Kelowna (0-1-0) returns to action on Sunday, May 24, as they take on the QMJHL Champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens. The Ed Chynoweth Cup-winning Everett Silvertips will get the first swipe at Chicoutimi as they make their Memorial Cup debut on Saturday, May 23, at 6:00 p.m. PT.]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-game-1-player-to-watch-mazden-leslie-kelowna-rockets Sat, 23 May 2026 00:20:56 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-game-1-player-to-watch-mazden-leslie-kelowna-rockets Kelowna, B.C.- The Kelowna Rockets swung big when they traded for 2025 WHL Defenceman of the Year finalist Mazden Leslie last May. In a matter of hours, the veteran blueliner will make his Memorial Cup debut... as a forward. Leslie is slated to skate on the right wing of Kelowna's second line, flanking veteran centreman Shane Smith and New York Islanders prospect Tomas Poletin. Clocking in at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Leslie reigns as the WHL's active games played leader with 347 regular-season games played under his belt, in addition to 30 postseason contests with the Vancouver Giants and Rockets. With 258 points (75G-183A), he also leads all active Western League defencemen in scoring. Leslie, from Lloydminster, Alta., was named a finalist for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy for Defenceman of the Year in 2025 and cracked the 2024-25 WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team. Now 21 years old, he's fighting for CHL supremacy- and a pro contract. "Kelowna has a long history of developing defencemen and sending them to the NHL, so I think that, obviously, has something to do with it," Leslie said of his decision to return to the WHL for a final season. "It's pretty crazy, " Leslie added. "Obviously, it's been a long wait here, so I think the guys are ready to kind of see what it's going to be like. I don't think a lot of us do know what it's going to be like, even. I think that's kind of the exciting part about it." In his final major junior spin, Leslie finished fourth on the Rockets in scoring with a 68-point (18G-50A) run and a +24 rating, while serving as an alternate captain. Notably, he led his team with seven game-winning goals (Leslie tied for seventh in game-winners among all WHL skaters). Leslie will try to bring that scoring touch to the ice when the Rockets go head-to-head with the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers in Game 1 of the 2026 Memorial Cup on Friday, May 22. Puck drop is slated for 6:00 p.m. PT at a sold-out Prospera Place. Fans in Canada can watch the 2026 Memorial Cup on TSN, while those in the United States can follow along on Victory+.    ]]> https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-head-to-head-former-world-juniors-teammates-iginla-and-reid-clash-for-the-cup Fri, 22 May 2026 23:36:55 +0000 https://chl.ca/whl/article/2026-memorial-cup-head-to-head-former-world-juniors-teammates-iginla-and-reid-clash-for-the-cup Kelowna, B.C.- In frostbitten Minnesota, Tij Iginla and Cameron Reid battled to bronze for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. But that was then, and this is now. The blistering sun of the Okanagan is as hot as the competition as the one-time teammates prepare to kick off the 2026 Memorial Cup in style. Iginla's Kelowna Rockets will try to protect their house from Reid and the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers in Game 1 on Friday night. The vaunted son of Hockey Hall-of-Famer Jarome Iginla- a Memorial Cup champion himself- Tij enters the tournament with high expectations for himself. The 19-year-old alternate captain is coming off a staggering campaign that saw him notch 41 goals and 49 assists for 90 points in 48 regular-season games. This, despite missing the bulk of the 2024-25 season as he recovered from double hip surgery. "It was different- it was tough," Iginla, who was selected by the Utah Mammoth with the sixth-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, admitted. "But just coming back, knowing that once I got back to Kelowna- this was at the end of the season- this was something that was in the back of my mind." Iginla got the nod as a finalist for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy for WHL Player of the Year and cashed in for 12 points (7G-5A) in nine postseason matches before being ousted by the eventual-WHL champion Everett Silvertips in overtime in Game 5 of their second-round series. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2057930558341255621 At World Juniors, he also tacked on four goals and four assists for eight points in seven games- and made an impression on his teammates with his competitive nature. "Tij is a good person and a good player," Reid said. "He has good skating, good heads up, and moves the puck well. Those are kind of all the things that make it difficult to play against him. He's a competitive guy, and he wants to win really badly." Reid himself is a standout among Kitchener's 12 NHL prospects. The 19-year-old defenceman heard his name called 21st overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2025 NHL Draft and has hit his stride wearing the 'C' for the Blueshirts. Reid potted 56 points (15G-41A) in 57 games to sit sixth in scoring among all OHL defencemen. The Aylmer, Ont. product followed it up with 14 points (2G-12A) in 18 playoff games to help the Rangers hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup. "He's a real good player," Iginla countered. "I think his skating kind of jumps out at you. I think he's smart. He can make plays offensively, but also defend well." Hailing from Lake Country, B.C., Iginla will fight to impress his hometown crowd when puck drops at 6:00 p.m. PT at Prospera Place. TSN will carry the game for fans in Canada, while those in the United States and around the world can stream the 2026 Memorial Cup on Victory+.]]>