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