In a thrilling showdown at the 2025 Memorial Cup in Rimouski, Quebec, the Medicine Hat Tigers secured their spot in the championship final with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the London Knights on May 27, 2025. Trailing early after a power-play goal by London’s Kasper Halttunen, the Tigers mounted a comeback with third-period heroics from Mathew Ward, whose game-winning goal at 1:17 sparked the upset. Ethan Neutens tied the game in the second, and Ryder Ritchie sealed the win with an empty-netter, while goaltender Harrison Meneghin’s 35 saves earned him Player of the Game honors. The loss sent the Knights, who outshot Medicine Hat 36-29, to a must-win semifinal against the Rimouski-Moncton survivor, setting the stage for an intense battle for the CHL’s top prize.
Kasper Haltunnen scores for the Knights to make it 1-0 after deflecting a Sam Dickinson point shot while on the Power Play at 3:34 of the first period. The second assist went to Philadelphia Flyers 2023 3rd rounder Denver Barkey.–Early in the game, just 3:13 in, during a power play with the Tigers’ key penalty killer Hunter St. Martin sidelined for high sticking, the Knights worked the puck around Medicine Hat’s zone. Sam Dickinson unleashed a shot from the point that was initially blocked, but he quickly recovered the puck and sent it back toward the net, where Kasper Halttunen tipped it past goaltender Meneghin, securing a 1-0 lead for the Knights at 3:34.
Shots on goal in the first period were 10-7 for London
Cochrane, Alberta native Ethan Neutens gets a rebound and gets the Tigers on the board at 5:11 of the second period. The assist on the goal went to Tanner Molendyk.–Ethan Neutens capitalized on a fortunate bounce to level the score at 1-1 after two periods. It started when Veeti Väisänen’s shot toward the London goal was picked off and sent back to the point. Tanner Molendyk kept the puck in the zone, firing it toward the net. The puck deflected off a London player’s skate, landing perfectly for Neutens, who was unmarked to the right of goaltender Austin Elliott. Neutens buried the chance at 5:11, marking his first goal of the Memorial Cup and his first since Game 1 of the WHL championship series against Spokane on May 9.
Shots on goal in the second period were 15-13 for London
Matthew Ward gave the Tigers the go ahead goal at 1:17 of the third period with the assists on the goal Misha Volotovskii and Alaska-Anchorage commit Ethan Neutens.–Neutens skated the puck into London’s zone, firing a shot that ricocheted behind the goal. Mat Ward moved from the crease to the back of the net, dishing a pass to Misha Volotovskii in front. Ward then hustled out, grabbed the loose puck, and slipped it past Elliott to take a 2-1 lead at 1:17.
Ryder Ritchie makes it a 3-1 game when he puts one in the empty net at 19:49 of the third period with the assist on the goal going to Oasiz Wiesblatt and Gavin McKenna. The Knights did such a good job on covering McKenna this game the only reason he probably got a point there is they gave up in the last 10 seconds in the game. It kind of shows how good and deep the Tigers are. You could sit their whole top line and they probably still could beat anyone.
Shots on goal in the third period were 11-9 for London. London outshot Medicine Hat in the game 36-29.
Harrison Meneghin made 35 saves on the 36 shots he faced for the win for the Tigers . Former Saskatoon Blade Austin Elliot made 26 saves on the 28 shots that he faced for the Knights. That marks the first time ever that Elliot had ever lost to the Tigers. When he played in the WHL he was a perfect 6-0 against them.
Player of the game was Medicine Hat’s Harrison Meneghin. Had Meneghin not played like a freak from some other planet in net Ethan Neutens could of been considered for this. Guy had a killer game and not even just on the scoresheet. That whole line got a lot of ice time, which they rightfully deserved.
Attendance in Rimouski was 4512
Next game is Wednesday May 28th between Moncton and Rimouski. Winner goes on to take on London in the Semi Final. The loser is done. Odds are favorite for it to be a London/Medicine Hat final, but with all the games between all teams technically all being one goal games, and with all the goalies playing very well, and with it all being single elimination. Any team can make the final and it wouldn’t surprise me.
