KELOWNA, British Columbia (AP) — Defensemen Kayd Ruedig and Jaxon Pisani scored in a 25-second span in the first period and the Everett Silvertips beat the host Kelowna Rockets 4-0 on Wednesday night in the Memorial Cup to advance to face Chicoutimi in the semifinal.
WHL champion Everett (2-1) and QMJHL winner Chicoutimi (1-2) will play Friday night for a spot against OHL champion Kitchener (3-0) in the final Sunday night. Kelowna was 0-3 in round-robin play.
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Everett Silvertips goalie Anders Miller (31) makes a save as Kelowna Rockets' Owen Folstrom (21) and Everett's Brek Liske (42) watch during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Everett Silvertips' Jesse Heslop (22) misses the open net behind Kelowna Rockets goalie Josh Banini (35) during the first period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Kelowna Rockets' Tij Iginla (11) and Tomas Poletin (10) vie for the puck against Everett Silvertips' Zackary Shantz (19) and Jesse Heslop (22) during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Everett Silvertips' Matias Vanhanen, centre, celebrates his goal as Kelowna Rockets' Rowan Guest (26), Shane Smith (9), Peyton Kettles (7) and Tomas Poletin (10) look on during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Everett Silvertips' Jaxon Pisani (43) celebrates his goal during the first period of a Memorial Cup hockey game against the Kelowna Rockets, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Everett beat Chicoutimi 5-3 on Saturday night in the opener for both teams, then fell 6-2 to Kitchener on Monday night.
Anders Miller made 28 saves for Everett. Ruedig added an assist, Matias Vanhanen had a goal and an assist, and Carter Bear also scored.
Everett is trying to become the fourth U.S. franchise to win the event, following the Portland Winterhawks in 1983 and 1998, Spokane Chiefs in 1991 and 2008 and Saginaw Spirit in 2024. The Silvertips beat Kelowna in five games in the second round of the WHL playoffs en route to their first league title.
Ruedig opened the scoring at 7:22 of the first with a shot from right boards that went in off a defender. Pisani, the son of former Edmonton Oilers forward Fernando Pisani, followed at 7:47 with a quick shot from the left point.
Vanhanen made it 3-0 at 1:03 of the second, chasing goalie Josh Banini with a wrister from the left side. Harrison Boettiger stopped 21 of 22 shots in relief — allowing only Bear's third-period goal — after Banini gave up the first three goals on 11 shots.
Chicoutimi will be without defenseman Jordan Tourigny for the rest of the tournament after the Canadian Hockey League suspended him Wednesday for a match penalty Tuesday night against Kitchener. The Northeastern University-bound Tourigny was ejected for stomping on Christian Humphreys' skate.
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Everett Silvertips goalie Anders Miller (31) makes a save as Kelowna Rockets' Owen Folstrom (21) and Everett's Brek Liske (42) watch during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Everett Silvertips' Jesse Heslop (22) misses the open net behind Kelowna Rockets goalie Josh Banini (35) during the first period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Kelowna Rockets' Tij Iginla (11) and Tomas Poletin (10) vie for the puck against Everett Silvertips' Zackary Shantz (19) and Jesse Heslop (22) during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Everett Silvertips' Matias Vanhanen, centre, celebrates his goal as Kelowna Rockets' Rowan Guest (26), Shane Smith (9), Peyton Kettles (7) and Tomas Poletin (10) look on during the second period of a Memorial Cup hockey game, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Everett Silvertips' Jaxon Pisani (43) celebrates his goal during the first period of a Memorial Cup hockey game against the Kelowna Rockets, in Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
HOUSTON (AP) — Texas Democrat James Talarico launched his general election campaign for the U.S. Senate Wednesday by framing his Republican opponent, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, as part of a corrupt political establishment that uses power to serve itself rather than the people.
Talarico has given Democrats their best chance in years of winning a Senate race in Texas and has boosted their still-uphill chances of retaking the majority in the U.S. Senate in November. Talarico, a former middle school teacher and a state lawmaker from Austin, laid out a clear strategy for the months ahead: Litigating Paxton’s scandals to a weary electorate.
“Ken Paxton is the most corrupt politician in America,” Talarico told a crowd of about 1,000 supporters who packed a dance club in downtown Houston. “He has failed the character test. He has put his own interests above the laws of Texas. Those are not my words, those are the words of Ken Paxton’s fellow Republicans.”
He also sought to tie what he called the “rot” at the heart of the nation's political system to the everyday problems faced by many voters, driving home the concerns over rising costs that have been part of Democrats' wider messaging strategy for this year's midterm elections.
"In America, we have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis," Talarico told the crowd.
It was a stark pivot from the more sunny, spiritual theme of Talarico's Democratic primary campaign. Now, he's leaning into the same arguments against Paxton that Republican Senate leaders feared would make the attorney general a weaker candidate than Sen. John Cornyn, who Paxton beat in Tuesday's Republican runoff.
The diverse crowd in Houston held signs emblazoned with “Talarico,” but with a new twist. On the flipside was the campaign's new theme: “THE PEOPLE vs. KEN PAXTON.”
Phrased like a court case aimed at the state's chief law enforcement officer, the theme was launched on the day that also marked the third anniversary of Paxton's impeachment on allegations he used his office to benefit a wealthy political donor.
Paxton was acquitted on all 20 articles of impeachment, which has emboldened him and fueled his supporters. Many of them have long held that he and President Donald Trump, who endorsed him, have been victims of political persecution.
But the message seemed to resonate with many at Talarico's rally.
Monique Green, a retired elementary school teacher from Houston, said the most important part of the “The People vs. Ken Paxton” sign she clutched to her chest while standing in line to meet Talarico were its first two words.
“It’s a declaration that it’s about us," she said. "We are the ones, all of us, what we can definitely do together. And he inspires us to act. He doesn’t just talk — he believes.”
Campaign aides said Talarico had raised $600,000 in small, on-line donations within two hours of Paxton’s win in the Republican Texas runoff Tuesday, the most lucrative two hours for his campaign since he announced he was running in September 2025.
One of the first speakers at the rally was the Democratic state representative who co-led Paxton’s impeachment, Ann Johnson, alongside a Republican lawmaker.
Talarico emphasized that the impeachment over corruption allegations was brought by the Republican majority in the Texas statehouse, Paxton's own party. After his rally, he said he is making the campaign about Paxton’s record because “he has escaped accountability for years.”
Paxton's campaign declined to comment. But after Talarico finished speaking, Paxton posted a link to his campaign's donation page on the social platform X with a personal attack on his opponent: “James Talarico and his big vegan allies have raised a fortune trying to stop the America First agenda. I need your help!” he wrote.
It echoed a line from Paxton after his runoff victory on Tuesday, and Talarico had a response ready for his supporters at the Houston rally: "I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment,” he said.
The vegan jab is part of Paxton's attempt to seek out what he considers weak points in Talarico's campaign and areas to exploit. In a strategy reminiscent of Trump, Paxton also has been testing nicknames for his opponent.
They included “TalaFreako," which Talarico turned to his advantage Wednesday night. He told his supporters they could go to his campaign website and buy T-shirts stamped with the new nickname.
In an interview with CBS News ahead of Wednesday's rally, Talarico responded to the claims about his beliefs on gender, saying that what he means is that “God cannot be defined by human categories" and there were “two sexes, men and women."
“I also know there’s a very small percentage of people who have these chromosomal abnormalities, and I believe that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” he said.
Texas state Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico attends a rally in Houston, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks during a primary runoff election night event after winning the Republican party's nomination Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Plano, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas state Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico attends a rally in Houston, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
Texas state Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico takes a photo with a supporter during a rally in Houston, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
Texas state Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico attends a rally in Houston, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
