KELOWNA, British Columbia (AP) — Zackary Shantz and Carter Bear scored in a 50-second span in the second period to help the Everett Silvertips beat the Chicoutimi Sagueneens 5-3 on Saturday night in the Memorial Cup opener for both teams.
Jesse Heslop, Lukas Kaplan and Matias Vanhanen also scored for the Western Hockey League champion Silvertips in the first Memorial Cup game in franchise history. Anders Miller made 22 saves.
Everett is trying to become the fourth U.S.-based franchise to win the event. Portland won in 1983 and 1998, Spokane in 1991 and 2008 and Saginaw in 2024.
The St. Cloud State-bound Shantz gave Everett a 3-2 lead with 6:05 left in the second, scoring from the left side off Heslop’s pass from behind the goal. Bear — drafted 13th overall by Detroit last summer — followed off a turnover and feed from 16-year-old star Landon DuPont.
After Alex Huang put Chicoutimi up 2-1 at 5:39 of the second, Kaplan tied it 33 seconds later.
Christophe Berthelot and Maxim Masse also scored for Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champion Chicoutimi. Lucas Beckman stopped 32 shots.
Everett lost only two games in four rounds in the WHL playoffs to reach the four-team Memorial Cup. The Silvertips had been off since finishing the WHL playoffs May 15, while Chicoutimi last played May 17.
On Friday night, the Ontario Hockey League champion Kitchener Rangers opened round-robin play with a 5-0 victory over the host Kelowna Rockets.
On Sunday night, Chicoutimi will face Kelowna. Everett will return to action Monday night against Kitchener.
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