The Kitchener Rangers and Everett Silvertips are set for their 2026 Memorial Cup final clash. Here's what you need to know about the two teams and what's been the key to them getting this far.
KELOWNA, B.C.- The Memorial Cup final is officially here.
This year's championship game will see the Kitchener Rangers battle the Everett Silvertips. Kitchener is making their CHL-record seventh trip to the final while Everett is making their debut in the championship game.
The Rangers and Silvertips have already met once during the 2026 Memorial Cup. Despite being outshot 42-28, Kitchener picked up a 6-2 victory en route to a 3-0 record in the round-robin.
A big reason behind the Rangers' success, not just in the tournament but all season, has been the play of San Jose Sharks prospect, goaltender Christian Kirsch.
"I think everyone's really excited," Kirsch said when meeting with the media the day before the final. "We're really excited to get going here. We're motivated. We're going to be flying out there, and it's going to be great."
Kirsch has been a brick wall between the pipes during the tournament. The Swiss netminder has a .957 save percentage along with one shutout in three games. Kirsch is looking to become the first goaltender to win the Stafford Smythe Trophy since Dustin Tokarski in 2008.
Staying fresh has been a big talking point for Kitchener heading into the final. The Rangers have had four days off since they wrapped up the round-robin against the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on May 26. Head coach Jussi Ahokas isn't too worried about rust, as his team has dealt with long breaks between games throughout the playoffs.
"We go on like we've done the whole year," Ahokas said. "We go one game at a time. We don't change our routines or how we do work. We just keep going. We want to prepare for every game on the season as best as we can, and just keep getting better. So now, we have one more chance to do that."
Shifting over to Everett, they will have a tall task ahead of them. Kitchener has only lost twice in the OHL playoffs and is currently riding a nine-game winning streak, starting from Game 4 of the conference final against the Windsor Spitfires.
While the Silvertips did fall to the Rangers earlier in the tournament, defenseman and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Luke Vlooswyk is confident Everett can learn from their loss less than a week ago.
"I think the biggest thing is to just continue with the start we had," Vlooswyk said. "I think we had a really good start against them last time, and our game fell off a bit in the second. So, if we keep up playing fast, getting pucks behind them, putting pressure on their D, I think we'll be just fine."
Despite the Silvertips' dominant season in the WHL, they are considered the underdogs heading into Sunday's game. Overall, Everett does not seem fazed by the title and, in a way, is embracing not being the favorites.
Defenseman and projected first overall pick in the 2027 NHL draft, Landon DuPont explained, the Silvertips remain focused on winning the franchise's first Memorial Cup.
"It's cool being the underdog," DuPont said on Saturday. "It's cool proving people wrong, and I think we've been doing that all year. So, I think this is a good chance to prove a lot of people wrong."
DuPont will be a player to watch in the Memorial Cup final as he has had a strong tournament so far. The 17-year-old's four points rank tied for first among defensemen at this competition with Nashville Predators prospect and Kitchener captain Cameron Reid. Both defenders have been crucial all season for their teams and are among the list of potential MVPs for the tournament.
Overall, the Memorial Cup has featured thrilling action from start to finish. Kelowna has served as a perfect backdrop, with Prospera Place rocking throughout the tournament.
Puck drop for the 2026 Memorial Cup final is set for 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.