Finals season is in full swing now, with every series on the final stage before the Memorial Cup having played two games. In contrast with last year, wherein all three were won by way of sweeps, we have a good amount of competition on our hands. In fact, two are already guaranteed not to be sweeps by way of the respective road teams being able to steal a game each. Even the sole 2-0 we have on our hands at this point has produced good and balanced hockey. Let us take a look, shall we?

OHL:

London Knights and Oshawa Generals tied at a game apiece

Game 1 (May 8th): Oshawa defeats London 4-2

Game 2 (May 10th): London defeats Oshawa 5-2

Discipline from London was poor in this game from the beginning, as they took three minor penalties in the first period, with Jared Woolley taking a roughing penalty, Rene Van Bommel being assessed a minor for boarding, and Landon Sim getting called for a double minor for high sticking. Surprisingly, none of this translated into goals for Oshawa, but in subsequent periods, London’s PK didn’t hold so strong. Six minutes and three seconds after Van Bommel opened the scoring, Oshawa D Andrew Gibson (Detroit Red Wings) tied the game while Sim was in the box for a cross-check. Several minutes later, Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs) was given a penalty shot opportunity due to fellow Leafs prospect Oshawa D Ben Danford committing an infraction from behind in-close. However, Oshawa G Jacob Oster read his move and release perfectly and stopped him. Literally just seconds later, Oshawa’s Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks) was given a penalty for roughing but Landon Sim was also determined to have sold it, so the two were both sent to the box for two minutes. Nothing came of this for either side but Kasper Halttunen (San Jose Sharks) gave London the lead late into the second while Oshawa’s Zackary Sandhu was serving a tripping call. The third period would be unkind to London, as their undisciplined play finally caught up to them. Gibson and Callum Ritchie (New York Islanders) would both score while London was in the box and Matthew Buckley added an insurance marker via an ENG. This would provide London their first loss of the postseason and G Austin Elliott (UMass Lowell commit) just his second of the year, with the netminder having gone a cumulative 47-1-0 (combined regular season and playoffs, includes three appearances/wins with Saskatoon in WHL) to that point.

London would have their revenge in the second fixture, as they dominated 5v5 in Game 2 with all of their goals coming on even strength. Cowan recorded 2g-3a, ergo factoring in on every goal and tying Rob Schremp (a notable member of the Team of the Century from 2004–05) for most career playoff points in franchise history. The discipline issues were far less plentiful in this game for the Knights, as London afforded the Gens just three power plays after giving them nine such opportunities in game one which turned into three goals. The series turns to Oshawa tonight at 7:00 PM ET for the first half of a double-header.

QMJHL:

Moncton Wildcats lead Rimouski Océanic 2-0

Game 1 (May 10th): Moncton defeats Rimouski 4-1

Game 2 (May 11th) Moncton defeats Rimouski 4-3 (2OT)

The combination of C Caleb Desnoyers (2025 NHL Entry Draft) and RW Juraj Pekarcik (St. Louis Blues) has been exhibiting exceptional chemistry to this point. It was evident from the very beginning of the series, as they combined beautifully on a power play goal for Moncton just under six minutes into Game 1. This would be representative of the overwhelming work that Moncton would do in the first match in getting penetration and sustaining pressure, ultimately out-shooting Rimouski 38-14.

7:03 into Game 2, Desnoyers would have yet another solid primary assist, this time setting up LW Julius Sumpf as the culmination of phenomenal passing chemistry between Moncton’s attackers. There would be more Sturm und drang this time, however, as Jack Martin would respond for Rimouski within a few minutes and Mathieu Cataford (Vegas Golden Knights) would get on the board to give them their first lead of the series with just 38 seconds left in the opening frame. Pekarcik would factor into the game’s next two goals, getting the primary apple on the power play tally by Markus Vidicek while Rimouski’s Alexandre Blais (Anaheim Ducks) was serving a minor for tripping and scoring the go-ahead goal just over five minutes into the final stanza (or would it be?), with yet another primary helper going to Desnoyers. Rimouski’s Jonathan Fauchon tied the game with 2:40 remaining. In effect, it would seem that Rimouski G William Lacelle’s continued strong performance between the pipes was finally supported. That said, ultimately, his team was not able to get him the win. Just 2:34 into the second OT after an eventful first, Vincent Collard gave Moncton a commanding 2-0 lead in the series… with yet another primary assist for Desnoyers. The x-factor Desnoyers has served as from a playmaking standpoint this postseason can’t be underestimated, as assists account for 19 of his 28 playoff points. What an amazing run. As the series shifts home for the Océanic, they will have to contain him as much as possible to have a shot at capturing the crown to have some hardware already in their possession before they host the Memorial Cup. Much commendation also has to be given to Moncton G Rudy Guimond (Detroit Red Wings), who has been on quite a streak. Interesting to think that we’re guaranteed to see him face off against a similarly seemingly nigh-invincible goaltender in the form of Austin Elliott at the Memorial Cup. At any rate, the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final resumes on Wednesday at 7:00 PM ET.

WHL:

Medicine Hat Tigers and Spokane Chiefs tied at a game apiece

Game 1 (May 9th): Medicine Hat defeats Spokane 4-1

Game 2 (May 11th): Spokane defeats Medicine Hat 6-2

On the topic of streaks, Gavin McKenna (2026 NHL Entry Draft) kicked things off by extending his consecutive games with a point run to 54 via 2 assists. As is well-known, this is the longest in a single season across the entire CHL since 2000. MHT had some additional firepower, also, however. Both Andrew Basha (Calgary Flames) and Cayden Lindstrom (Columbus Blue Jackets) were able to return to play in Game 1, the latter having been out of competitive hockey for nearly 400 days. Both factored into the game’s opening goal just 54 seconds into the action, with Basha scoring and Lindstrom picking up a secondary assist. Overall, the depth showed out in this game, with ten different Tigers recording at least one point. G Harrison Meneghin (Tampa Bay Lightning) also served as an incredible backbone, making 36 saves to allow the offense to flourish even as MHT were out-shot 37-22.

While Lindstrom scored the opening tally (with, in a mirrored moment, Basha acquiring a secondary helper and Hunter St. Martin picking up the primary apple as he did on the previous connection between these three) in Game 2, the proceedings were less favorable to MHT overall. In the space between the 6:50 and 11:36 marks of the first, Spokane scored four uninterrupted goals, bookended by the fearsome SBA line of Shea Van Olm, Berkly Catton, and Andrew Cristall doing what it does best. Spokane effectively rubbed MHT’s nose in dirt for the rest of the game, scoring 2 more goals, including Catton’s exclamation point goal to end the scoring as he exited the box for a holding penalty. With McKenna being held off the scoresheet in this matchup, his historic run came to an end. Medicine Hat will attempt to reclaim the series lead tomorrow night at 10:00 PM ET as the Ed Chynoweth Cup final moves to Spokane.