Medicine Hat falls short against London in 2025 Memorial Cup final

Early in the second period, London scored a pair of goals to grab hold of the game. First, a nice pressure and passing sequence by London in the Tigers’ zone led to a great bang-bang play as Sam O’Reilly threw a puck to the net-front where Easton Cowan tapped it past Meneghin to go up 2-0.

Now down by two, Medicine Hat tried to get a rush play going through the neutral zone, but Sam Dickinson swatted a puck away at the London blueline, sending Denver Barkey in on another breakaway on Meneghin. Barkey went five-hole to make it 3-0 London.

London had a fourth goal, by Cowan, waved off for goaltender interference. But Cayden Lindstrom of Medicine Hat took a penalty right after that, and this time London scored another goal that counted, with Barkey firing his second of the game past Meneghin to go up 4-0.

Medicine Hat finally got on the board a few minutes into the third period, with Gavin McKenna firing a wrister from the slot past London’s Austin Elliott to spoil his shutout bid.

A second McKenna goal was, unfortunately, called back for a missed high stick. Medicine Hat pulled Meneghin for the extra attacker, but Elliott stood tall the London held on for the 4-1 victory.

How’d Basha do?

Playing on the second line alongside Cayden Lindstrom and Hunter St. Martin, as he largely has since returning for the WHL championship series, Flames prospect Andrew Basha was perfectly fine. He wasn’t on the ice for any London goals – London really took advantage of lapses from Medicine Hat’s top line in this one – nor did he generate a ton offensively.

Basha was present and accounted for, and he was buzzing around a bit, but he didn’t hit the scoresheet in any way, positive or negative, in this one. Basha’s on an entry-level deal with the Flames for next season and as a 2005-born player, he’s eligible to play in the AHL or the WHL. Based on his performance in the Western League thus far, we suspect he’ll be given every opportunity to make the Wranglers in the fall.

As such, the final game of the 2025 Memorial Cup may have been his final junior game.