The long wait is over for the Kitchener Rangers.
One of the top franchises in junior hockey, the Rangers captured their first Memorial Cup since 2003 and third overall with a 6-2 win over the Everett Silvertips on Sunday in Kelowna, B.C.
The Rangers went 4-0 at the CHL championship tournament after sweeping the Barrie Colts in the OHL final and going 16-2 overall in the league playoffs.
It marks the third consecutive Memorial Cup win for the OHL after the London Knights and Saginaw Spirit lifted the trophy the past two years.
Ottawa Senators prospect Luke Ellinas, Dylan Edwards, Chicago Blackhawks pick Jack Pridham, Los Angeles Kings pick Jared Woolley, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O’Reilly and Colorado Avalanche pick Christian Humphreys scored for the Rangers.
Kitchener made a big push for league and CHL titles with several big trades at mid-season after losing out to the Guelph Storm for the right to host next year’s Memorial Cup. The team has 12 NHL Draft picks.
Woolley and O’Reilly were acquired in a blockbuster deal with London. Both players played in three straight Memorial Cups, winning the last two.
Matias Vanhanen scored for the Silvertips, picking up a rebound after Everett star defenceman Landon DuPont’s original shot was stopped by Christian Kirsch.
DuPont, who turned 17 earlier this week, is widely considered a top prospect to go No. 1 overall in next year’s NHL Draft. Granted exceptional status to enter the WHL a year early last season, DuPont had five points in four games at the Memorial Cup.
With the tournament over, all eyes will be on DuPont to see if he returns to junior hockey next season or goes to the NCAA.