Sep 25, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan (53) skates during warm up before a game against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The London Knights will have to take the long road to the 2025 Memorial Cup championship.
After earning a bye to the final just a year ago in Saginaw, the Ontario Hockey League champions won’t have that luxury in 2025. The Medicine Hat Tigers handed London its first loss of the tournament Tuesday night, earning a 3-1 win and securing a direct path to Sunday’s final in Rimouski.
Despite a strong start from the Knights, who opened the scoring just 3:34 into the game, Medicine Hat responded with three unanswered goals to finish the round-robin at a perfect 3-0-0. The loss dropped London to 2-1-0, locking them into second place and forcing them into Friday’s semifinal.
They’ll face the winner of Wednesday’s round-robin finale between the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats and host Rimouski Oceanic.
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Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan, who had been one of the tournament’s top offensive producers, was held off the scoresheet for the first time in three games.
The 2023 first-round pick (28th overall) entered the night with four points (1G, 3A) through two games, at one point leading all scorers. On Tuesday, he recorded three shots on goal and hardly missed an open net in the third period.
Even without registering a point, Cowan’s four-point total still sits tied for second in tournament scoring as it stands.
While the loss complicates the Knights’ path, there’s reason for optimism.
London hasn’t dropped back-to-back games since early October when they lost consecutive matchups to the Erie Otters and the Brampton Steelheads in the regular season. In the OHL Playoffs, they went an incredible 16-1 and never lost twice to the same opponent.
That resilience will be tested Friday with a trip to the Memorial Cup final on the line and possibly a rematch against the undefeated Tigers.
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