Dylan Guenther leads the Seattle Thunderbirds in the playoffs with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists). COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, Seattle Thunderbirds

Dylan Guenther leads the Seattle Thunderbirds in the playoffs with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists). COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, Seattle Thunderbirds

Kent-based Thunderbirds target first Memorial Cup championship

Team travels to Kamloops to seek first Canadian Hockey League title

The Kent-based Seattle Thunderbirds will aim for their first Memorial Cup title May 27 to June 4, which would make them the champion of the 60-team Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

The T-Birds beat the Winnipeg Ice in a best-of-seven series last week to win the Western Hockey League (WHL) title and advance to the four-team, round-robin tournament at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia. The tournament features the three champions from each of the CHL leagues and the host team.

Seattle opens against the Peterborough Petes, champion of the Ontario Hockey League, at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 27. The Kamloops Blazers, in the tournament as the host team, plays the Quebec Remparts, champion of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 26.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” said Seattle general manager Bil La Forge, in an interview with WHL TV after the clinching win against Winnipeg, about playing in the Memorial Cup. “We’ve had some success there (against Kamloops), they are a great hockey club. All the champions that come are going to be tremendous challenges for us. We are ready to accept those challenges and to see if we can match them.”

Seattle plays its second game against Quebec at 6 p.m. Monday, May 29 and plays Kamloops at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 31. A tiebreaker game, if necessary, will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 1. The semifinal game is at 7 p.m. Friday, June 2. The title game is set for 4 p.m. Sunday, June 4.

Seattle’s Jeremy Hanzel, who finished the series against Winnipeg with a team-leading seven points on three goals and four assists, likes the chances of the T-Birds, whose defensemen contributed 58 points (14 goals, 44 assists) in 19 playoff games.

“It’s an unbelievable group,” Hanzel said of his fellow defensemen. “From the top to the bottom, everyone knows how to play. Everyone is great at what they do and just a lot of trust among us.”

The T-Birds have never won the Memorial Cup. They lost all three games in the 2017 tournament and had a 1-3 record in 1992 when they hosted the Memorial Cup at the Seattle Coliseum. Kamloops won in 1992, including a semifinal win over the T-Birds. Seattle beat Kamloops this year in the WHL playoffs in six games.

Peterborough last appeared at the Memorial Cup in 2006 when it had a 1-3 record. The Petes won their only title in 1979. Quebec last took part in the event as hosts in 2015 when it compiled a 2-3 record. The original Remparts club won the Memorial Cup in 1971, a team led by future hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur.

T-Birds extras

• Dylan Guenther leads the T-Birds in 19 playoff games with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists), followed by Brad Lambert with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) and Jared Davidson with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists).

• Seattle has 10 players chosen in the NHL Draft. Six players could be drafted this June in the 2023 NHL Draft.

• Each game of the Memorial Cup will be broadcast on TSN in Canada as well as on NHL Network in the United States.

Memorial Cup schedule

Friday, May 26 Kamloops vs. Quebec, 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 27 T-Birds vs. Peterborough, 3 p.m.

Sunday, May 28 Kamloops vs. Peterborough, 3 p.m.

Monday, May 29 T-Birds vs. Quebec, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 31 Kamloops vs. T-Birds, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 1 Tie-Breaker game, 6 p.m.*

Friday, June 2 Semifinal, 7 p.m.

Sunday, June 4 Final, 4 p.m.

* – if necessary

Thom Beuning, of the Seattle Thunderbirds, contributed to this article.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Sports

Davontae Redding and Kyle Brown celebrate a touchdown in the second half. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Do not scratch your eyes: Kent-Meridian football wins by 38

For the first time in over eight years, KM scores over 60 points in a game.

Senior Ella Schug with the ball at her feet. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentridge comes through with a late goal to draw 1-1 against Mount Si

Girls soccer team off to its best start since 2019

Seattle’s Sam Popowich, in preseason action against Everett, scored the winning goal in the Thunderbirds’ WHL season-opening 3-2 win Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Wenatchee Wild. COURTESY FILE PHOTO, Brian Liesse, Seattle Thunderbirds
Kent-based Thunderbirds edge Wenatchee Wild in season opener

Sam Popowich scores winning goal with 33 seconds left in 3-2 victory

t
Season preview: Kent-based T-Birds seek to defend Western Hockey League title

Many top players are gone but others ready to step up; 7 players taken in NHL Draft

t
Emerald Downs attendance up 16% in 2023; handle down 10.6%

Auburn track concluded 52-day, live-racing schedule on Sept. 17

t
Kent-based Thunderbirds open WHL season on the road at Wenatchee Wild

Opener Sept. 23 followed by home debut Sept. 30 against Portland at ShoWare Center

Shannon McLain
Kent Reporter’s Female Athlete of the Week: Shannon McLain

Kentlake Falcon freshman soccer player.

Around the Sound Sports podcast is hosted by Ben Ray. Email benjamin.ray@soundpublishing.com.
Fall sports preview in South King County | Around the Sound Sports

Welcome back to the Around the Sound Sports podcast! This episode takes a closer look at opening day matchups for high school athletes in South King County.

Kentlake cheer team. Photo courtesy of Allison Humphreys
Athletes of the Week: Kent’s high school cheer teams

To kick off the 2023 school year, the Kent Reporter is showcasing each school’s cheer team.

Seahawks QB Geno Smith keeps his eyes down field. (Maria Dorsten Photography)
Seahawks fans come out in droves for Kids Day

Hawks close out public practices and will face the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 19 for their final preseason home contest.

Arpit Bhagat up to bat for Mavericks at the Kent Cricket Ground. (Ben Ray/Sound Publishing)
Kent Cricket Ground plays host to Northwest Cricket League

A sport growing in popularity in the states has the chance to get even bigger.