The Quebec Remparts produced another dominant defensive performance on Sunday night in Kamloops, shutting out the Western Hockey League champion Seattle Thunderbirds 5-0 to win the 2023 national championship.
The title is the QMJHL's fourth straight — the longest streak by any of the three junior leagues. The stretch began in 2018 with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan followed by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2019. After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, the Saint John Sea Dogs won on home ice last year.
Since Saint John's 2011 championship, the QMJHL has won seven of the past 11 Memorial Cup tournaments.
The winning moment for the @quebec_remparts! #MemorialCup
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 5, 2023
Le moment où les Remparts sont devenus champions de la #CoupeMemorial! pic.twitter.com/Py3JYRMRVw
The win completes a dream season for the Remparts who were the QMJHL's regular season champs and went on to win the Gilles-Courteau Trophy with a fairly smooth run. They finished the Memorial Cup with a 3-1 record — their lone loss coming in a meaningless game against the Peterborough Petes.
As is often the case for the Memorial Cup champion, the stars came to play. Vsevolod Komarov, James Malatesta, Kassim Gaudet, Zachary Bolduc and Charles Savoie scored for the Remparts in the final. Captain Theo Rochette added two assists while William Rousseau made 32 saves in the victory.
Malatesta, a Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, was named tournament MVP. He finished the event with five goals in four games.
The game, and tournament, will be remembered for Quebec's dominant defensive play and nearly perfect game execution. Like in their preliminary round win against Seattle, the Remparts barely allowed any quality scoring chances against one of the most stacked lineups in junior hockey. Seattle's top line of Dylan Guenther, Brad Lambert and Reid Schafer struggled all game long.
HOIST IT HIGH, THEO! 🏆 #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/FE72mZxHPE
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 5, 2023
The WHL has not won a Memorial Cup title since the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2014.
It's the first Memorial Cup title for the Remparts since 2006.
Much of Quebec's roster will graduate to pro hockey next season. There are also plenty of question marks surrounding Patrick Roy and if he'll make the jump back to the NHL this summer.
Savoie, a former Sea Dogs forward, finished the tournament with one goal and one assist in three games. He was scratched for Quebec's preliminary round game against Peterborough.
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