A dominant postseason for Kitchener concludes with the team winning its third Memorial Cup title.
For the first time since 2003, the Kitchener Rangers are Memorial Cup champions.
This year's well-coached, physcial and dominant team went undefeated at the tournament after going 16-2 in the OHL playoffs, and are as deserving a winner as you could find.
Here's all the action from the championship game.
Kitchener (6) - Everett (2)
Rangers celebrate a goal in the Memorial Cup final. (Photo: Steve Dunsmoor / CHL)In the Memorial Cup, multiple things can be true. It's hard to beat a team twice in a row. There's also a truth in gaining momentum from a semifinal win, rather than sitting and waiting to play the final.
None of that mattered to the Kitchener Rangers.
While they didn't have their best start to the game, the Rangers did strike first. Luke Ellinas deflected an Alex Bilecki shot past Anders Miller, and got the OHL side getting the all-important first goal in the final.
That lead wouldn't last long, though. Just 28 seconds after the 1-0 goal, Matias Vanhanen scored on the rebound of a Landon DuPont shot, and we were right back to square one.
While the Silvertips piled on some pressure and shots as the period went on, Christian Kirsch stood tall, and eventually his team got a chance in transition.
Sam O'Reilly made a really nice pass into space for Dylan Edwards, who took it in stride and finished on the breakaway to give Kitchener the lead right back.
The first period ended with that 2-1 scoreline, and getting out of the first was probably a good thing for the Rangers, as they were outshot 15-7 in the opening frame.
Everett thought they had an equalizer early in the second, as a crazy scramble in front saw the puck go in off the arm of Zack Shantz. However, after review, it was determined the Silvertips forward batted the puck in with his elbow, and the Rangers remained in front by one goal.
From there, Kitchener took more of the momentum, and that momentum eventually paid off.
Some offensive zone time led the Jared Woolley sneaking in from the point, and the big defenseman took a pass from Haeden Ellis before going bar down to extend the lead to two goals.
As the second period wound down, the Silvertips would get into some penalty trouble. Kayd Ruedig was called for a hold, and after an O'Reilly cut to the net saw him taken down, Shantz took a frankly stupid cross-checking penalty with the referee looking right at him to give Kitchener a five-on-three heading into the third.
This would really be where the game turned. Jack Pridham fired a quick one five-hole just 26 seconds into the third to make the lead 4-1, and O'Reilly got a bounce throwing the puck into the crease to make it 5-1 before the second power play expired.
All of a sudden, the two-goal lead entering the third became a four-goal lead, and Kitchener had a big lead to sit on with 19 minutes to play.
Everett would get one back pretty quickly, with their big line striking as Julius Miettinen found Carter Bear at the back post to make the score 5-2 with 17 minutes to go.
The period would wind down exactly how Kitchener wanted it to. Their trap got set up, Everett couldn't find much space through it, and chances came at a premium. The minutes kept running down, and the Silvertips just couldn't find any offence towards Kirsch's goal.
With about 3:30 to go in regulation, Miller went to the Everett bench for the extra attacker. Still, Everett couldn't find a way through.
Pridham took a hooking penalty, but that didn't matter as Christian Humphreys grabbed the puck off the draw, skated down the ice and shot the puck into the empty net. That extended the lead to 6-2, and put the game away for good.
As the seconds ticked down, Kitchener could throw their gloves once again. The Rangers are Memorial Cup champions once again.
The OHL has now taken the trophy in three consecutive years, while the WHL's drought since 2014 continues for another season.
Kitchener's decision to acquire experienced players like Woolley and O'Reilly from London paid off, just as much as moves for guys like Gabriel Chiarot, Dylan Edwards and more.
Everything came together at the right time, the team bought into how head coach Jussi Ahokas wanted them to play, and they played exceptional hockey en route to the top of the CHL mountain. Now, they can go out as Memorial Cup champions.
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