The Medicine Hat Tigers clawed back from a 3-2 second-period deficit to defeat the host Rimouski Océanic 5-4 in the opening game of the Memorial Cup.
The Tigers scored twice early in the third to take a 4-3 lead, but Rimouski responded with its third power-play goal of the game to tie things up. Tabbie Hunter St. Martin, who had assisted on a Bryce Pickford goal earlier, netted the game-winner at 17:19 of the final frame.
The win comes exactly 18 years after Medicine Hat's last victory at the prestigious tournament — a 1-0 win over the host Vancouver Giants at the 2007 Memorial Cup.
Medicine Hat returns to action on Monday, May 26, against the QMJHL champion Moncton Wildcats. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. MT.
TSN will carry the game live in Canada. Fans in the United States and internationally can stream the Memorial Cup on Victory+.
Cochrane products Ethan Neutens and Kadon McCann are part of the Tigers’ roster.
Kadon McCann took in the 2016 Memorial Cup as a nine-year-old fan. Now, he’s getting a taste of what it’s like to live the dream as a player.
“I went to the Memorial Cup when they had it in Red Deer, and looking back at that — and seeing that I’m in those shoes right now — it’s pretty cool,” said McCann. “All the little kids coming up and asking for pictures and stuff is really cool. The fans here are unbelievable, too.”
McCann is ranked as a potential fourth-round pick by NHL Central Scouting for the upcoming entry draft, but he says he’s not letting that cloud his focus.
“It’s something in the back of your mind, but you just try to stay in the moment and enjoy the experience,” he said. “The Memorial Cup doesn’t happen very often, and this kind of run is rare, so I’m trying to stay where my feet are. After this, we’ll start focusing on that a little more.”