In game 3, the teams battled with everything at stake. The Warriors drew first blood early in the first period, only to be countered by Tyson Yaremko just a few minutes later. Two minutes later, Nate Danielson scored while shorthanded, giving the Hawks the first lead of the game and series. Two powerplay goals by Moose Jaw in the second period put the Warriors up by 1. Portland’s Marcus Nguyen tied it up for the Hawks, sending the game to overtime. Just over two minutes into overtime, Moose Jaw scored after a rebound off the post was picked up on the doorstep by Brayden Schuurman, who dashed the hopes of the Hawks and gave them a 4-3 overtime win. That game was delayed in overtime when the ice was flooded too much, and the water didn’t freeze immediately, so the teams had to wait until the puddles were gone.
Game 4 at the Hanger in Moose Jaw was as tight as it could be and high-flying at the same time. The game was delayed when an electrical storm blacked out the Moose Jaw arena for several minutes. Moose Jaw is looking to sweep, something that hasn’t been done with all three leagues ever, and Moose Jaw is looking to become WHL Champions, a feat they have never seen in their 40-year history in Moose Jaw.
Just past the 8-minute mark of the first period, Moose Jaw scored on the powerplay. Kyle Chyzowski scored six minutes later on the powerplay, and the teams went to the dressing room tied at 1. Matthew Savoie, part of the blockbuster trade deadline to the Warriors, scored after the Hawks nearly had a big chance the other way. Toward the end of the second period, Marcus Nguyen scored on a great redirect, and the teams were tied at 2.
The third period was an incredible battle, with both teams having unfathomable scoring chances. Finally, Brayden Schuurman, the hero in the overtime game, roofed it under the crossbar with 6 minutes to go. With just under three minutes to go, the Hawks pulled goaltender Jan Spunar and saw their hopes dashed when Martin Rysavy got the empty net goal. The Hawks had to pull Spunar again to get two goals. While they pulled him, scoring didn’t happen. With 26 shots each and teams 1 for 3 on the powerplay, it was as even as possible.
The WHL Most Valuable Player was presented to Denton Mateychuk, who also was the first to touch the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the WHL Title. Moose Jaw will open up May 24 with a game versus Saginaw as the Memorial Cup gets underway.
Moose Jaw has just seven players who could return as overage players and loses three to age: Martin Rysavy, Atley Calvert, and Lucas Brenton. However, they are seeing several players who could return in a 20-year spot, as drafted by NHL teams, so this could easily change the team’s look very heavily.
This is the first time since the CHL’s inception that all championship teams have swept their respective finals.
The Hawks will fly home and begin exit interviews, and they will be looking to rebuild a program that has generated some high-caliber NHL talent. The question remains which players will remain. With the Hawks going deep in the playoffs, they had an older team and will see who can stay. It’s a bitter end to the Hawks season, and whether you blame officials or not, the games were exciting, and either team could have won the title. Moose Jaw’s major plus was being able to keep the Hawks mostly to outside perimeter shots.
The Ontario Hockey League Final was a cakewalk to the London Knights in three of four games, and Oshawa didn’t know what hit them. After dropping the first two matches 9-1 and 8-1, Oshawa returned and took London to the 2nd overtime before London scored to put them up 3-0 in the series with a 7-6 win.
Oshawa had a 3-goal lead in scoring in just over a minute with goals at 12:12, 12::36, and 13:19, before London started chipping away. London scored to end the first, only to see Oshawa with a powerplay goal just past the middle of the period; London countered with a powerplay marker of their own just three minutes later. Oshawa, not to fall back, scored twice more in a 35-second span just seconds after the London goal. You’d think the Generals had it in the bag. The third period was their downfall. 2 powerplay goals and two regular strength goals brought the game to a 6-6 tie after regulation. The 1st overtime saw both teams pour it on with an 11-8 shot margin favoring Oshawa. With no goals scored, they moved to the 2nd overtime. London had only three shots and, with it, a goal. London went 3 for 7 on the powerplay and Oshawa 1 for 6, which was the difference in the game.
The next night, Oshawa seemed shell-shocked. London flipped the script, scoring three goals in the first period, including a powerplay goal, and Oshawa grabbed a goal at the tail end of the period. London would score three times in the second period, one of which was a powerplay goal, and then ended the night scoring with less than three minutes left in the game at 7-1. The shots were close at 30-26, but with 3 for 4 on the powerplay and Oshawa blanked on their four tries. London takes the J. Ross Robertson Cup as the Ontario Hockey League champions. With 31 goals, it is the most scored by an OHL team in the final since 1999, led by Easton Cowen, who is a prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs with 34 points in the playoffs.
Without a doubt, the Knights are favored to win the Memorial Cup.
In the Quebec Major Junior League, the Drummondville Voltigeurs had a clean sweep. After Baie Comeau Drakkar had been so impressive in the playoffs, the Voltigeurs took them apart in four games. After two lopsided wins in Baie Comeau, the series shifted to Drummondville. The Voltigeurs looked strong in game 3, winning 6-2, so Baie Comeau knew they had to compete if they were going to extend the series.
Giving up a pair of goals in the first and second periods, Baie Comeau dug deep, scoring seven minutes after the 2-0 lead. In the third period, Drummondville scored twice more, including a powerplay goal to put Baie Comea behind the eight ball, now down 4-1. With goaltender Charles-Edward Gravel at the bench for the extra attacker, Baie Comeau finessed a pair of goals to make it close but couldn’t come up with the equalizer and fell 4-3, giving Drummondville, the QMJHL President’s Cup league title and punched their ticket to the Memorial Cup.
Even though the Hawks are out, there is still Memorial Cup action to discuss and NHL drafts to come before training camp starts in just a couple of months.
Buckle up. More hockey to go!
