Sam O'Reilly's second goal of the game, scored at 4:23 of 3-on-3 overtime, lifted the London Knights to an exciting 3-2 victory over the Moncton Wildcats in the opening game for both teams at the 2025 Memorial Cup championship.
Kasper Halttunen, with a second-period power-play goal, also scored for the Ontario Hockey League champion Knights, who outshot the Wildcats 48-29.
Etienne Morin and Dyllan Gill, on the power play, scored for the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champion Wildcats, while Alex Mercier pitched in with two assists.
“I just try to get to the net,” O’Reilly said. "[Easton Cowan] does all of his creative stuff up top. It’s always the best place to go is to the net, he throws pucks there a lot and fortunate enough to be able to score one.”
Wildcats netminder Mathis Rousseau stopped 45 of 48 shots, while Austin Elliott of the Knights made 27 saves on 29 shots.
The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period and 2-2 heading into the third. Both squads went 1-for-3 on the power play.
ICE CHIPS
The 10-day tournament opened Friday with the Western Hockey League champion Medicine Hat Tigers edging the host Rimouski Oceanic 5-4. ... The host Saginaw Spirit won the Memorial Cup last year with a 4-3 win over the London Knights in the championship final ... With the win, the Knights' Dale Hunter tied the Memorial Cup record for most wins by a head coach with 14 alongside Don Hay.
UP NEXT
Knights: Play the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday.
Wildcats: Play the Medicine Hat Tigers on Monday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2025.
