Kitchener Rangers rout the host Kelowna Rockets 5-0 in the Memorial Cup opener

KELOWNA, British Columbia (AP) — Defenseman Jared Woolley had a goal and a fight, Christian Kirsch made 24 saves and the Kitchener Rangers routed the host Kelowna Rockets 5-0 on Friday night in the Memorial Cup opener.

The 6-foot-5 Woolley exchanged punches with Dawson Gerwing with 6:24 left in the first period, then gave the Ontario Hockey League champion Rangers a 2-0 lead with 2:27 left in the second.

Woolley is a Los Angeles Kings prospect. The Quinnipiac University-bound Kirsch was drafted by San Jose.

Dylan Edwards opened the scoring early in the first. He's also heading to Quinnipiac.

Jack Pridham, Sam O’Reilly and Haeden Ellis scored in the third.

Kitchener had not played since beating Barrie 4-2 on May 12 to sweep the OHL final.

Kelowna had been off since a 2-1 overtime loss to the Everett Silvertips on April 17 in Game 5 of the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.

On Saturday night, WHL champion Everett will face the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, the winner of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

Kelowna will be back in action Sunday night against Chicoutimi. On Monday night, Kitchener will play Everett.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Kelowna Rockets' Hayden Paupanekis (23) and Kitchener Rangers' Andrew MacNiel (43) crash into the net as Rangers goalie Christian Kirsch (65) makes a save during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game in Kelowna, British Columbia, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kelowna Rockets' Hayden Paupanekis, centre, gets into a scuffle with Kitchener Rangers' Alexander Bilecki, right, and Andrew MacNiel during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game in Kelowna, British Columbia, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kitchener Rangers' Andrew MacNiel (43) and Alexander Bilecki (89) go after Kelowna Rockets' Hayden Paupanekis (23) after he and MacNiel crashed into the net behind Rangers goalie Christian Kirsch, bottom, during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game in Kelowna, British Columbia, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kelowna Rockets' Dawson Gerwing (18) and Kitchener Rangers' Jared Woolley (51) fight during the first period of a Memorial Cup hockey game in Kelowna, British Columbia, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kitchener Rangers' Jared Woolley (51), Luke Ellinas (19) and Haeden Ellis (13) celebrate Woolley's goal as Kelowna Rockets' Shane Smith (9) skates past during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game in Kelowna, British Columbia, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ordinarily, this would have been a disaster. Oklahoma City had three starters combine to score seven points in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Friday night.

Few people probably noticed.

That's how good the Thunder bench was — again.

They'll give out an MVP award when these West finals are over, and if things keep going like this, it might be a good idea to cut it up into parts and just hand it out to those on Oklahoma City's bench. OKC's reserves outscored San Antonio's bench 76-23 on Friday night, a huge reason why the Thunder beat the Spurs 123-108 for a 2-1 series lead.

Jared McCain scored 24 points for the Thunder; that’s a playoff career best. Jaylin Williams — the forward, with Thunder guard Jalen Williams out with hamstring issues again — hit five 3-pointers and scored 18; that was also a playoff career high. And Alex Caruso had 15 points, giving him 63 in this series; that’s the best three-game scoring span of his career.

“I like proving my support system right,” said McCain, a midseason pickup in a trade with Philadelphia. “The people who really believe in me, I like proving them right.”

Oh, they were right. And they had a lot to talk about Friday night.

“We talk about it a lot, in practice and throughout the whole playoffs: Be ready and stay ready,” McCain said. “Coaches have done a great job of that. ... We all are hoopers and we all know what to do out there, especially this team. It's a very mature team. Coming in, I just want to be as ready as I can, no matter what it is.”

He's not alone. The entire OKC bench has been ready, throughout the whole series.

The Thunder got 50 points from their reserves in Game 1, then 57 in Game 2 — and on Friday, the bench mob struck again.

The 76 bench points were the most by a team in a conference finals game since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984. The previous mark was 69 by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985. Only two Thunder starters scored in double figures — MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and Chet Holmgren had 14.

Didn't matter.

Down 15-0 not even three minutes into the game, coach Mark Daigneault went to his bench for the first time.

And everything changed in an instant, a harbinger of what was to come. Caruso, McCain, Williams and Cason Wallace combined to score 21 points in the remainder of that first quarter. The Spurs' lead was down to five going into the second, and it didn't take long for Oklahoma City to grab control.

“We assume the opponent’s always at their best and we need to be at ours and depth is a part of that. ... It just needs to be one of our strengths that we rely on, regardless of circumstance,” Daigneault said.

Oklahoma City's bench contributed 62% of the scoring for the Thunder in Game 3 — something no team had done in a winning effort during a conference finals game in the last four decades. And after being down 15 at the start, the Thunder won by 15 at the end.

For the series, the Thunder reserves have outscored the Spurs' bench 183-64.

“We were ready,” McCain said.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the first half of Game 3 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) and head coach Mark Daigneault react during the second half of Game 3 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Oklahoma City Thunder guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and Alex Caruso (9) high-five during the first half of Game 3 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) works toward the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends during the second half of Game 3 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series Friday, May 22, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)