An overtime thriller gave Chicoutimi a massive win at the 2026 Memorial Cup, one they desperately needed to be in a good spot in the tournament.
The margins are so small at the Memorial Cup.
Sometimes, an overtime can be the difference between a team progressing and bowing out in the round robin. Luckily for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, they were able to prevail in the extra frame.
Here's all the action from the best game of the tournament so far.
Chicoutimi (3) - Kelowna (2) (OT)
Chaos in the goal crease as Anton Linde's tip just trickled over the line to give Chicoutimi a 2-1 lead in the third. (Photo: Steve Dunsmoor / CHL)It was a classic Memorial Cup barnburner.
As both Chicoutimi and Kelowna lost their respective opening game, the importance of beating one another ramped up as the two faced off on Sunday night.
It was the Saguenéens who got the party started in this one, with Liam Lefebvre taking a pass in a ton of space, and depositing a very nice goal on the breakaway.
That would be the only goal of the first, but it wouldn't be long before the Rockets got the game back level. It would be star man Tij Iginla tying the game at one 6:29 into the middle frame, making it a whole new game again.
From there, it certainly tightened up, Both Josh Banini and Lucas Beckman made some good stops in their respective goals, and there weren't too many big chances either way.
As the time ticked along in the third period, the Saguenéens started to push, though. Some good offensive zone cycle saw Nathan Lecompte curl high, and fire a wrister from the point that Anton Linde deflected in front. It went off the stick of the Danish import, off the skate of the Rockets defender, off the left post and off Banini's flailing stick before barely trickling over the line.
Those are the margins in a game like this, and those few inches gave Chicoutimi a 2-1 lead with just six minutes to play in regulation.
That lead would last for under two minutes, though. Kelowna really ramped up the pressure with their season in some ways on the line, and a scramble in front saw the puck fall to Mazden Leslie, who deposited into the open net to tie the game at two and get the home crowd really buzzing.
The Sags had a chance with a late power play in regulation after Parker Alcos cross-checked Christophe Berthelot in the neck, but nothing came of it and the game went to overtime.
The extra frame was extremely cautious, as it is with the stakes this high, with the three-on-three essentially just becoming a possession drill. It was Chicoutimi who held the puck nearly the entire OT, waiting for the right chance to open up.
And, funnily enough, it actually opened up on a Kelowna turnover. Peteris Bulans picked a pocket at centre ice, and the control of the overtime ended there. Nathan Lecompte drilled a one-timer off the post, picked up the rebound before feeding Lefebvre for his own one-timer, and he made no mistake firing it past Banini.
The Saguenéens got their much-desired Memorial Cup victory, and the two points could go a long way as this tournament progresses.
After playing back-to-back, Chicoutimi now gets a day off to reset before their final round robin game against the Kitchener Rangers goes Tuesday night.
But for now, they can relax knowing they got their big win at the tournament, and prepare for what's next.
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