The 2025 Memorial Cup kicked off on Friday, with Vancouver Canucks prospect Basile Sansonnens and the Rimouski Océanic facing off against the Medicine Hat Tigers. This round-robin game was close until the final whistle, as Medicine Hat scored the winner with under four minutes to go in the third. As for Sansonnens, he finished the night with a plus/minus rating of -2 and spent the majority of the game partnered with 20-year-old Jack Martin. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Penalty Kill Streak Ends At 30 As The Abbotsford Canucks Fall 3–1 To The Colorado Eagles

Princeton University Head Coach Cara Gardner Morey Named General Manager Of PWHL Vancouver

Vancouver Canucks 2025 NHL Draft Target: Peyton Kettles

While Sansonnens was the only Canucks prospect in the game, there are some connections to the organization on the Tigers. Former head coach Willie Desjardins is the current coach of Medicine Hat, while former skater Byron Ritchie's son, Ryder, plays for the Tigers. Ritchie, whom the Minnesota Wild drafted, had a strong start to the tournament, scoring a goal and finishing the night with four shots on net. 

After Friday's loss, Sansonnens and his Rimouski teammates will get a day off before battling the London Knights on Sunday. London is making its second-straight appearance in the Memorial Cup and features a roster loaded with NHL-drafted talent. Puck drop on Saturday is scheduled for 3:00 pm PT and can be viewed on TSN. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.