The Kitchener Rangers have emerged as champions of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
With a 4-2 victory over the Barrie Colts on Tuesday night, the Rangers completed the sweep and lifted the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the fifth time in their history.
The previous OHL Championship titles came in 1981, 1982, 2003, and most recently in 2008. During this playoff run, they achieved an impressive record of 16-2.
“You’re speechless,” said Captain Cameron Reid. “It’s everything. That’s what you work for.”
OHL Playoff MVP Sam O’Reilly sealed the win with an empty net goal late in the third period.
“I’m just extremely grateful for the opportunities I’ve been able to have over the last three years,” said O’Reilly.
With this championship win, O’Reilly and Jared Woolley became only the second and third players in OHL history to claim three consecutive championships.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Rangers Head Coach Jussi Ahokas. “They wanna play for each other, they wanna commit to playing the right way … you need good players; we have a heck of a team.”
A standout player among them is Matthew Andonovski, who received teammate of the year honors from the OHL.
He spoke with 570 News Radio after the game about his final season with the Rangers.
“Pretty emotional. My time here is coming to an end but we’ve got Kelowna now so I am happy that I can end it on my own terms and not getting knocked out by another team,” said Andonovski. “We are a true brotherhood in here; we’re the most connected group in this league and it shows on the ice.”
The Kitchener Rangers will face off against the Kelowna Rockets at next week’s Memorial Cup in British Columbia.
The championship event will take place from May 22-31.
“I had no doubt in this group; I knew we were going to get here. Now we have an opportunity right in front of us to go to Kelowna and bring back the Memorial Cup … we are going to work really hard for it,” said Reid.
The first game is scheduled for Friday, May 22, against the Rockets.
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