Knights edge Huskies to win Memorial Cup

The London Knights win the 2016 #MemCup pic.twitter.com/YwQwMxLDPD

— Carlos Verde (@Carlos77Verde) May 29, 2016

The London Knights are Memorial Cup champions.

The Knights won their second national championship with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Sunday in Red Deer. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner at 7:49 of the extra frame.

Matthew Tkachuk scores the 2016 #MCMemorialCup OT goal. London wins 17th straight playoff game. https://t.co/ehmtfD26aw

— Kathryn Jean (@msconduct) May 29, 2016

Tkachuk opened the scoring in the second period but that was followed by goals from Francis Perron and Julien Nantel, giving the Huskies a 2-1 lead in the third period. With 4:11 to go, Christian Dvorak scored to tie things at 2-2 and send the match into overtime.

Both goaltenders had great games with Tyler Parsons 29 saves in the win and Chase Marchand making 30 in the loss.

London breezed through the preliminary round of this year’s Memorial Cup, going 3-0 with a +15 goal differential. This was the first game that proved to be much of a challenge for the star studded OHL champions.

The Knights hadn’t won the Memorial Cup since 2005 – despite making three straight appearances from 2012 to 2014. London lost in overtime in 2012 in Shawinigan.

This is the second straight year an OHL team has won the Memorial Cup in overtime following the Oshawa Generals’ win last year.

No QMJHL team has won the trophy since the Halifax Mooseheads in 2013.

Next year’s tournament will be hosted by the Windsor Spitfires.