Remparts square off against Thunderbirds for Memorial Cup trophy on TSN
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The Western Hockey League champion Seattle Thunderbirds confront Quebec Major Junior League champion Quebec Remparts for the right to lift the Memorial Cup in the final on Sunday.
The Thunderbirds find themselves in the championship game after dispatching the Ontario Hockey League champion Peterborough Petes 4-1 in the semifinal on Friday night.
NHL draft prospect Nico Myatovic and overage forward Kyle Crnkovic led the way offensively for Seattle, each providing a goal and an assist.
Winnipeg Jets prospect Brad Lambert and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach also scored in the victory.
Canadian World Junior star and 2023 NHL draft prospect Thomas Milic was stellar in the win, stopping 27 of 28 shots. The 6-foot-1 netminder leads all goaltenders at the Memorial Cup, registering a 3-1 record with a .934 save percentage and 1.76 goals-against average.
Crnkovic made his mark offensively in the tournament by leading all players with five goals and his eight points is only one shy of Kamloops Blazers star Logan Stankoven for the tournament lead.
This is the Thunderbirds' first trip to the Memorial Cup final in three appearances in the tournament.
The Remparts will be playing their first game in five days after securing the No. 1 seed in the tournament with a 2-1 record and holding the tiebreaker over the Thunderbirds.
Quebec defeated Seattle 3-1 on May 29 in their head-to-head matchup during the round robin where captain Theo Rochette scored a pair of goals for the Remparts.
After winning the QMJHL playoff MVP by scoring 14 goals and 20 points in 18 playoff games, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect James Malatesta's hot hand continued at the Memorial Cup by scoring four goals in three games.
Zachary Bolduc (St. Louis Blues), Justin Robidas (Carolina Hurricanes), and Rochette also have four points in three games to lead the offence with Malatesta.
William Rousseau's play in net for Quebec is only behind Milic in the tournament, registering a 2-1 record with a .916 save percentage and 2.93 GAA.
Head coach and NHL goaltending legend Patrick Roy is going for his second Memorial Cup ring as head coach after leading the Remparts to a 6-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats in the final during the 2006 tournament.
The Remparts are making their fifth finals appearance and are trying to win their third Memorial Cup Trophy.