The Memorial Cup Tournament concluded this weekend, and a winner was crowned, bringing some new elements to the event, including app additions and a strong field of teams vying for the Cup.
The host team, Rimouski Oceanic, was the definite underdog, as they were the lowest-ranked team (if one could call them that) and had suffered a couple of heartbreaker losses to both the Medicine Hat Tigers and the London Knights. Their final game against the Moncton Wildcats was a must-win for Rimouski, as a loss would have meant bowing out of the tournament as a winless team. Moncton, which was also 0-2, needed the win to stay alive. Since one team would be winless, the tiebreaker game would not be required, depending on the outcome of the following night. The winner would then move directly to the semifinals.
Moncton got started with a brilliant cross-ice goal-mouth pass being redirected in the net for a Wildcat lead. The Oceanic replied 4 minutes later and capped off the period with a final goal to lead 2-1.
Moncton got fired up in the second period with a pair of goals in the first 5 minutes of the period to regain the lead. Just four minutes into the third period, Moncton doubled up on Rimouski with a goal four minutes in. Two empty net goals by Moncton toward the end of the period sank Rimouski 6-2. It allowed the Wildcats to advance to the semifinal against the Knights.
The Knights are getting that extra day off, as they scored once in the first period and once in the second, but Moncton came back with an answering goal in each period to keep the game tied at two at the end of the second.
London turned on the jets in the third period with three straight goals, including one in the empty net with just under two minutes remaining, and secured their berth in the Cup Final vs the Medicine Hat Tigers.
London’s day off versus Medicine Hat’s two days of rest seemed to be the difference, as the Knights used it to their advantage, scoring midway through the first period and three times in the second frame, including a pair of goals 1:40 apart early in the second. London completed their scoring with the third goal in the period, eight minutes later.
The powerhouse of the Tigers, Gavin McKenna, scored early in the third and, despite Harrison Meneghin on the bench for the extra attacker with four minutes left, couldn’t put a puck past Austin Elliot as the Knights’ backstop, and London retakes the Cup. You wonder what’s in the water there, as the Knights have bulldozed team after team and seemingly end up deep in the playoffs and have done so for many years.
The playoff games were available for the first time outside of Canada, where fans could see them on TSN (The Sports Network). TSN also features WHL games of the week unavailable in the US. A recent conversation between Josh Critzer and Hawks majority owner Michael Kramer revealed that the viewership increased four or five times from their gathering on CHL TV. That exposure is critical now that the NCAA and CHL will start seeing players venture to other leagues, a couple of them. Diego Buttazzoni and Josh Zakreski from the Hawks are headed to the college route. Buttazzoni’s brother is in North Dakota, where Diego will head. The player landscape will change as the players look to the new horizon of what teams will be more beneficial for their success. While some have seen a marked exodus from the league, primarily among older players, the league is one of development, where players can aspire to become professional athletes. While many players are drafted out of colleges, the schedule is far shorter, and a good cross-section of what a player’s capabilities might not be as easily defined.
The other significant change is that teams will now hold three import players, which can help several teams who had to make gut-wrenching decisions with drafts, and seeing how the NHL route played out. An Import can be placed in the AHL as early as their 19th year, and with that, teams had to wait on pins and needles to see if they would be returned. Additionally, the overage limit has increased to 4, up from 3. For several teams that have stronger playoff runs, having a more experienced team is excellent for both development and mentoring.
Camps for many will start in just over a month, with Penticton joining the league and possibly Chilliwack a year later. Nothing has been discussed with Vancouver Island, where only the Victoria Royals call it home. The logical spot would be Nanaimo, although growth has also occurred in both Campbell River and Courtenay, located to the north of Nanaimo by approximately 45 minutes.
The Winterhawks will be celebrating their 50th anniversary since coming to the Rose City. Expect some major events to take place in the coming year.
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