NHL Draft Prospect Shows Some Magic At Memorial Cup In Sagueneens' Win Vs. Kelowna

KELOWNA, B.C. - In the Memorial Cup, teams need to have a very short memory.

Between the tight schedule and the limited number of games, dwelling on past results could lead to being eliminated from the tournament. Despite falling in their opening game, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens refocused 24 hours later and picked up their first win of the Memorial Cup.

Chicoutimi's victory came in dramatic fashion as they defeated the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in overtime. The game-winning goal-scorer is 2026 NHL draft prospect Liam Lefebvre, who also opened the scoring late in the first period.

While Lefebvre scored over 30 times in his rookie QMJHL season, no goal was bigger than the one-timed slapshot he had Sunday night.

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Overall, it was a strong performance by Chicoutimi and one they hope to build on as the tournament continues.

"It's a huge win, but we've got to keep growing into the tournament," said coach Yanick Jean. "It's not an easy situation when you play against great teams, and in that kind of tournament. Playing 2-in-2, so you know we played those kind of games in the playoffs a lot. It turned out to be a good win for us, but I mean, we stayed composed and kind of grinded it out."

Despite the back-to-back situation, Jean elected to stick with starting goaltender Lucas Beckman.

The Ottawa Senators prospect had a decent first game for the Sagueneens as he stopped 32 of the 36 shots he faced against the Everett Silvertips. The move to stick with Beckman paid off as he stepped up with 27 saves in the victory.

"Made some good, made some good stops," said Jean post-game. "I don't think he was happy with his performance yesterday. He's the kind of goalie that always bounces back. There's a lot for him to grow with tonight's game, so you know, was really happy for him. (He stood) tall when he was needed."

Chicoutimi will now get a day off before facing the Kitchener Rangers on Tuesday, May 26.

Depending on the results from Kitchener's game against Everett on Monday, Tuesday's matchup could guarantee the winner a spot in the semifinal.

Kelowna is next in action on Wednesday and will need a victory against the Silvertips to keep its season alive.

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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 10:24 AM.