The CHL has started the final round, with the winners of those series to meet in the Memorial Cup, which will be held in Saginaw, Michigan, in just over a week.
Portland Winterhawks passed Victoria, Everett, and Prince George to participate in the WHL Final. They would face the Moose Jaw Warriors, who shocked the Saskatoon Blades to get the right to compete in the WHL Final. It’s been ten years for Portland since the WHL final called their name, and Moose Jaw 18 years.
The fans headed to Portland to see the first two games. At the last minute, the games were advertised as being on air through the TSN feed on CW 32.
There was great anger when Moose Jaw scored first on a penalty shot. Hometown fans are still up in arms over the 2013 season, where Portland was handed sanctions for WHL claims of violations and a sense of feeling the WHL is holding them back.
During the game and into the next game, posts were made on several sites blasting the officials whom people felt were favorable towards the Canadian team.
Portland battled back into the third period and finally tied it up. However, after 16 1/2 minutes, a player who played a huge role in Matthew Savoie scored and helped to keep the Hawks off the board as the period ended, gaining a 3 to 2 win and 1 to 0 in the series.
Game 2 was essential to the Hawks as going down 2 with games 3 through 5 in Moose Jaw means that fans may not see them again this year.
The televised game was one the Hawks wished had never aired.
Dropping a 5 to 1 decision to Moose Jaw does not exemplify what people should expect from this series. The Warriors led in shots, and the Hawks let the game get away from them as the third period started. Many figured it was nothing more than saving themselves for the next game when they realized they couldn’t come back.
To Moose Jaw, they go, a situation that hasn’t happened this year with them down two games in a series. Don’t count any of the final teams out, however. They have all made it to their respective league finals and earned that right.
The QMJHL has seen a 2 to 0 lead, but not for the team many expected to do well. The Drummondville Voltigeurs battled against the Victoriaville Tigres and looked on paper as easy pickings for Baie Comeau Drakkar. However, maybe one should have told the Voltigueres this.
Drummondville scored five unanswered goals in the first game, shocking the Drakkar 5 to 0. The next night, the Drakkar was ready, and so were the Voltigueres. The score at the end of regulation was tied at zero. Drummondville made their mission clear by scoring in overtime to take game 2 1 to 0 and return to Drummondville leading the way.
After a good battle with the Memorial Cup hosts, Saginaw Spirit, the London Knights would take on the Oshawa Generals. The Generals either were too tired, or it’s showing now that the London Knights are looking to be the favorite of the Memorial Cup.
In either case, it was an 8 to 1 game followed by a 9 to 1 game, with both games in the hands of the London Knights and a seemingly unstoppable offense.
With all teams in games 3 and 4 early this week, we’ll try to update you at the end of the week. From there, we’ll see how the playoffs are going and update as the Memorial Cup occurs.
There hasn’t been any announcement if their Portland series will continue to air on CW 32. The best bet is for people to continue contacting the station, as it’s that continued pressure. Of course, thanking them for airing the past season and playoff finals is a good thing, too.
See you all later this week!
