After losing out on their bid to host the 2027 Memorial Cup earlier this season, the Kitchener Rangers turned their attention to qualifying for this year's event with their on-ice play.
The plan worked.
The Rangers captured their first OHL championship since 2008 by completing a 4-0 sweep of the Barrie Colts with a 4-2 road win on Tuesday.
The Rangers swung several deals after the Guelph Storm were awarded the 2027 Memorial Cup in a win-now quest. The biggest trade saw Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O'Reilly and Los Angeles Kings prospect Jared Woolley come over from the rival London Knights.
O'Reilly won the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL's most outstanding player and scored a league-leading 17 goals in the playoffs, including the empty-netter to seal it on Tuesday.
Vancouver Canucks prospect Gabriel Chiarot, another mid-season trade acquisition, scored a short-handed goal in Game 4. Colorado Avalanche pick Christian Humphreys scored the winner in the third period for the Rangers.
The Rangers now will head to Kelowna, B.C., for the Memorial Cup next week.
They'll be joined by the host Rockets and the winners of the QMJHL (Chicoutimi Sagueneens versus Moncton Wildcats) and WHL (Everett Silvertips versus Prince Albert Raiders) finals.
