Vsevolod Komarov scores for Quebec in the first period (image credit - Candice Ward/CHL)

By Michael Reeve

MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPS

Quebec blanks Seattle 5-0 to win first Memorial Cup since 2006

Jun 4, 2023 | 6:49 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Memorial Cup Final in Kamloops Sunday afternoon pit the WHL Champion Seattle Thunderbirds against the QMJHL Champ Quebec Remparts. For Seattle, they were in pursuit of their first Mem Cup title in team history, in their first ever final appearance, while Quebec was looking to return to the promise land for the first time since 2006.

The two teams met on Monday, during the round-robin stage of the event with Quebec winning 3-1 earning a direct bye into Sunday’s final.

A timid start to the contest through the opening minutes quickly turned frantic with opportunities going both ways. A big hit from Seattle seemed to wake up both squads, with Thomas Milic and William Rosseau making solid early stops to keep the game at 0-0.

Quebec would draw first blood with a 2-on-1 worked to perfection. The pass across from Kassim Gaudet to Vsevolod Komarov who fired short-side past Milic at the 13:29 mark.

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The contest would get chippy down the stretch of the opening frame with both teams taking minors, but the score would remain 1-0 Quebec after 20 minutes.

After the T-Birds took an undisciplined retaliation minor to make it 4-on-4, the Remparts would work a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play through the slot with James Malatesta netting his fifth of the tournament. 2-0 Quebec just before the midway mark of the middle stanza.

Seattle would put together a solid string of pressure in the dying minutes of the second frame but fail to beat Rosseau.

Despite being the team with the lead, it was the Remparts pushing the issue to begin the third, looking to ice the contest early. Milic would stand tall in the T-Birds crease, keeping his team in the game.

Seattle’s best chance to gain a foothold in the contest came just after the 10-minute mark, when a Quebec crosscheck sent them to the powerplay, but it would be the Remparts shorthanded streaking down the ice 2-on-1, Kassim Gaudet would beat Milic to put the game out of reach.

Another bad penalty by Seattle would put Quebec back on the powerplay where Zachary Bolduc would add to the lead. The Remparts would add one more in garbage time, 5-0 the final.

Remparts Head Coach Patrick Roy winning his second Mem Cup, joining an exclusive list of junior hockey coaches.