Memorial Cup: Rockets preview

[Malc]

By PATRICK KING Sportsnet.ca

All the hype in the Western Hockey League this season revolved around the Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants. After both teams got off to incredible starts, they appeared poised for a dream final between the two biggest market teams in the WHL. That was until the Kelowna Rockets spoiled the party, beating both teams en route to their third league championship in just seven seasons.

The Rockets are participating in their fourth MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament in seven seasons. Kelowna hosted the Memorial Cup in 2004, winning the championship on home ice. In both of their other appearances, the Rockets failed to reach the final and were the first team eliminated in their last attempt in 2005 in London.

To say the Rockets' championship run was surprising would be deceiving. Kelowna had a terrific regular season and was, on paper, one of the top teams in their league. The results weren't there early but the team was missing several key players to National Hockey League camps, ultimately losing the pillar on defence in Luke Schenn. Although the Rockets were prepared and expected to lose Schenn, his departure still created a huge void.

Several players stepped up this season for Kelowna, particularly their six-foot-eight rear-guard Tyler Myers. The WHL's playoff Most Valuable Player signed with the Buffalo Sabres, the team which drafted him 12th overall in last year's NHL draft, and his playoff performance hints he will not be back in junior for his 19-year-old season, just as Schenn wasn't this year.

The team made several big acquisitions at the trade deadline, adding veteran leadership and depth. Their biggest acquisition came in the form of Swedish sensation Mikael Backlund who chose not to return to Sweden after the Under-20 World Junior Championship. Backlund gave the team another offensive weapon to complement Jamie Benn. Like Backlund, Benn elected to join the Rockets last season instead of his previous plans which were to attend the University of Alaska-Fairbanks of the NCAA. The Rockets would, no doubt, not be where they are had these two forwards not joined their program.

Strengths: The Rockets boast one of the most well-rounded teams assembled this season. Kelowna has dynamic offence with Benn, Backlund, captain Colin Long and Cody Almond. Benn is one of the most feared shooters in the WHL with a quick release and pin-point accurate shot while Backlund is incredibly shifty and unpredictable with the puck on his stick. He also possesses a scorer's instincts in tight and the flashy ability to get fans out of their seats.

Their secondary scoring was huge in their pursuit of the championship, particularly overage forward Ian Duval, Evan and Lucas Bloodoff and Stepan Novotny. Each player is a strong skater with speed to burn which created problems for the Hitmen in the league championship series.

Kelowna's defensive core is very diverse with Myers and Tyson Barrie leading the attack. Myers is the king of all trades and proved to be a very effective offensive player with his ability to shield the puck and unleash a cannon slapshot from the point. Barrie is a quick and slick skating defenceman who loves jumping up on the rush, as evidenced on the overtime winning goal for the championship.

The rock that steadies the team, however, is in goal with Mark Guggenberger. Kelowna traded away Torrie Jung before the season then released overager Kris Lazaruk near Christmas before acquiring Guggenberger from Swift Current. Although he had never been a starter before, Guggenberger stole the spotlight and gave the team the dependable goaltending needed for a championship run.

Weaknesses: This team is virtually without weakness. General manager Bruce Hamilton built a team loaded with speed, skill, grit and desire. The Rockets don't back down from any physical confrontations and are a headache to play against. Any team looking to neutralize the Rockets will have to be mindful of their speedy forwards.

Kelowna's top defensive pair of Myers and Barrie is very strong at handling the puck, a trait which falls off down their depth chart. Collin Bowman, brother of high-scoring Spokane forward Drayson Bowman, is not a natural puck-carrier and can be pressured into making mistakes on the outlet passes. The rest of their defence, with the exception of former forward Brandon McMillan, is similar in that respect. While they have size and like the gritty play, a strong forecheck might disrupt the Rockets' attack.

Keys to victory: The Rockets are quite simply a team that just doesn't go away. No matter the score, Kelowna can claw back with their potent offensive attack. The Rockets did well playing with the lead and aren't afraid to open things up with their offence being as strong as it is. Kelowna will need to use their team speed and create on the forecheck, which they have all throughout the post-season. Their power-play will also be a key factor as they boast the talent and systematic play that can capitalize each time a team takes a penalty.

Noteworthy: Head coach Ryan Huska is a three-time Memorial Cup champion as a player, winning the title with the Kamloops Blazers in 1992, 1994 and 1995. ... The Rockets have never won the WHL and Memorial Cup championships in the same season. ... Kelowna lost all three games in 2005 and was the first team eliminated in that tournament. ... The Rockets beat the Gatineau Olympiques in the Memorial Cup final on home ice in 2004. ... Kelowna lost to the Hull Olympiques in the semifinal of the 2003 tournament. ... The last WHL team to win the Memorial Cup when it was hosted by the QMJHL was in 1994. The Kamloops Blazers, whom Huska played for, won the Memorial Cup in Laval, Que. ... 18 WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup since 1972 when the tournament format originally included all three leagues. ... The last two Memorial Cup champions were from the WHL: Spokane in 2008 and Vancouver in 2007.

NHL Drafted Rockets: Mikael Backlund, 1st round in 2007 (Calgary Flames); Jamie Benn, 5th round in 2007 (Dallas Stars); Cody Almond, 5th round in 2007 (Minnesota Wild); Tyler Myers, 1st round in 2008 (Buffalo Sabres); Brandon McMillan, 3rd round in 2008 (Anaheim Ducks); Colin Long, 4th round in 2008 (Phoenix Coyotes) and Ryley Grantham, 6th round in 2008 (Calgary Flames).

2009 NHL Draft Eligible players: Tyson Barrie, D; Collin Bowman, D; Stepan Novotny, RW; Evan Bloodoff, LW; Mitchell Callahan, RW; Aaron Borejko, D;

Regular season record: 47-21-1-3 (98 points)
League regular season ranking: Sixth overall, third in Western Conference
Combined regular season and playoff road record: 26-18-1-2
Regular season goal differential: 267-178
Playoff goal differential: 78-54
Playoff record: 16-6
Memorial Cup appearances: Three (2003, 2004, 2005)
Memorial Cup championships: One (2004)
League championships: Three (2003, 2005, 2009)

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/junio...l_cup_rockets/

[Malc]

By PATRICK KING Sportsnet.ca

The Drummondville Voltigeurs emphatically put the finishing touches on their remarkable season which saw them go from worst to first. The Voltigeurs held the league's worst record last season, finishing with just 14 wins and 33 points. Drummondville actually had a longer winning streak this season than 14 wins as they finished with the top record with 112 points, a league record 79-point turnaround.

The team made several additions to their lineup in the off-season and through trades in the regular season but a large core of their team remained intact, a true sign of the solid coaching done by Guy Boucher. Drummondville added Patrik Prokop and Yannick Riendeau by trade and picked up Dmitry Kulikov and Sean Couturier through the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft and the Québec Major Junior Hockey League draft.

While the team's additions signaled this season would be different in Drummondville, no one could have predicted the Voltigeurs would be as good as they were. The team prides itself on their work ethic, a trait that has carried them far this season but their mentality shifted from a team hoping to win to one that knew they would win.

As Drummondville began pulling away from the pack late in the regular season, the question on everyone's minds was which team, if any, could beat them? As it turns out, no such team had the ability to knock off the top team.

Drummondville swept all three of their first round opponents, including the Memorial Cup host Rimouski Océanic, before engaging in a heated final series with the Shawinigan Cataractes. Shawinigan was one of just two teams to have won the season series with the Voltigeurs and given their proximity and huge rivalry, the two battled in what will go down as one of the most memorable championship series in QMJHL history.

Although the Voltigeurs jumped out to a three games to one series lead, Shawinigan clawed their way back in it before Drummondville closed the series out at home in Game 7. Boucher warned Sportsnet.ca in a pre-series interview the series with Shawinigan could go seven and conclude in overtime. While Drummondville won 3-2 in regulation, the two teams were playing as if they were already in overtime in the final frame. The Voltigeurs ended up winning their first league title and earned the final spot in the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament.

Strengths: The Voltigeurs offence is one of the most feared in the CHL. Drummondville is led by Riendeau, the QMJHL's playoff Most Valuable Player, whose impressive season earned him a contract with the Boston Bruins. Riendeau led the league in scoring in the regular season and finished atop the scoring charts once again in the playoffs with 29 goals and 23 assists for 52 points in 19 games.

A lot of Drummondville's offence revolves around their star. Riendeau opens himself up for passes very well and is a constant threat on the power-play. He scored the championship clinching goal in the second period in Game 7, which was his second goal of the night.

Like Riendeau, Dany Massé earned a contract as an undrafted prospect with the Montreal Canadiens. Massé was banged up late in the playoffs but has incredible offensive vision. The team also has plenty of secondary scoring with Kulikov, Mike Hoffman, Gabriel Dumont and captain Marc-Olivier Vachon. Their power-play is downright scary at a lethal 35.7 per cent in the playoffs.

Drummondville plays a very strong puck pursuit game. The Voltigeurs are strong in pressuring the puck-carrier and eliminating his outlet lanes through strong positioning. They make it very hard to enter their zone and don't give up many second-chance opportunities in front of their goal. Their cohesive team play might just be the best in the CHL.

Weaknesses: In some of the games they did lose, the Voltigeurs lacked the same consistency in their defensive game. Goaltender Marco Cousineau was solid for them since being acquired from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar at the trade deadline but sometimes struggled when he didn't face many shots. His mental makeup was tested and it didn't always bring favourable results, such as on the overtime goal in Game 6 against Shawinigan when he was beat by a wrist shot from the point. Cousineau has the ability to steal a game for his team and make some acrobatic saves but his consistency in this nature seems to waver.

The Voltigeurs may play big but their team is small, particularly at forward. Their rookie, Couturier, is the only player taller than six-feet at six-foot-three. Drummondville doesn't participate much in the gritty play after whistles but that is more of a reflection of the team's discipline. They began showing signs of wearing down against Shawinigan but have been successful against each team that has tried intimidating them physically.

Keys to victory: Special teams were a big factor for the Voltigeurs this season. The team received much of their headlines for their dynamic power-play but pride themselves in their penalty kill. Boucher surprises his opponents by changing his penalty killing tactics, making it difficult for team's to adjust.

The Voltigeurs' power-play can suffocate the opposition. Drummondville likes to pass the puck down low while their defencemen begin moving forward, opening up shooting lanes and second chance opportunities. If the Voltigeurs can continue their stellar special teams play and open it up offensively, they will be successful as their shooters tend to cash in on most of their chances.

Noteworthy: The Voltigeurs will be without Canadian world junior gold-medalist Christopher DiDomenico who broke his left femur and knee cap in Game 3 against Shawinigan. … Drummondville has never participated in the Memorial Cup prior to this year. … The Voltigeurs were last ranked third in the CHL Mosaik MasterCard Top 10 rankings. They were ranked in all but four of the 27 weeks, never placing higher than third. … The last QMJHL to win the Memorial Cup was the Québec Remparts in 2006. … Seven QMJHL teams have won the Memorial Cup since 1972 when the tournament originally introduced the format which included all three leagues.

NHL Drafted Voltigeurs: Christopher DiDomenico, 6th round in 2007 (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Marco Cousineau, 3rd round in 2008 (Anaheim Ducks).

2009 NHL Draft Eligible players: Dmitry Kulikov, D; Gabriel Dumont, RW; Philippe Lefebvre, LW; Mike Hoffman, LW; Maxime Frenette, C; Marc-Erik Ouellet, D; Charles Landry, D; Olivier Hotte, D.

Regular season record: 54-10-0-4 (112 points)
League regular season ranking: First overall, first in Telus Central Division
Combined regular season and playoff road record: 33-9-0-1
Regular season goal differential: 345-189
Playoff goal differential: 109-47
Playoff record: 16-3
Memorial Cup appearances: None
Memorial Cup championships: None
League championships: One (2009)

[Malc]

By PATRICK KING Sportsnet.ca

The Rimouski Océanic's season had as many ups and downs as a yo-yo. The team was expected to contend for the league crown after being awarded the MasterCard Memorial Cup, a decision some questioned as the Shawinigan Cataractes were also in the bidding for this year's tournament.

Some questioned the team's talent after the franchise was decimated following their 2005 Québec Major Junior Hockey League championship. The Océanic set about rebuilding their franchise by tanking several seasons and obtaining promising prospects in the draft. Rimouski became one of the hottest teams in their league to finish last season, stunning the second-seeded Baie-Comeau Drakkar in five games in the opening round.

Injuries plagued the Océanic early this season with several key losses, particularly those of captain Olivier Fortier and Keven Veilleux, who were both out for a couple months at the same time. The holiday break provided lots of promise as the team loaded up by adding many high-profile veterans such as Logan MacMillan, Marc-André Bourdon and Maxime Ouimet. The team traded 14 draft picks, including two first round picks and another four in the second round. A rebuilding season or two in the near future appears inevitable.

But for now, the Océanic set their focus on winning their second Memorial Cup championship after being crowned the Canadian Hockey League champions in 2000. That team was led by future National Hockey League star Brad Richards.

Rimouski was one of the hottest teams to close out the regular season. The Océanic had won 28 of their last 30 games, regular season and playoffs included, before running into the eventual league champion Drummondville Voltigeurs in the semifinals. Drummondville swept Rimouski, ending their bid for a league title in stunning fashion.

Strengths: The Océanic are a deep offensive team that can roll several lines. Veilleux is their go-to sniper but has had bouts with inconsistency throughout his junior career. His head coach, Clément Jodoin, challenged him to perform or watch from the bench in March. Veilleux awoke and turned into the dominant, big body presence with soft, supple hands the team thought to have acquired from Victoriaville last season.

The team also boasts a power-forward in the draft eligible prospect Jordan Caron. A potential first round pick, Caron is at his best when he's getting his nose dirty and driving to the net. MacMillan also plays a gritty game with high-end offensive upside. Unlike the traditional QMJHL teams from the past, this team likes to mix it up and play a physical brand of hockey which will be beneficial to them in this tournament.

Their defensive core and overall team defence is strong. Rimouski has several defensively-oriented forwards such as Fortier and Canadian world junior gold-medalist, Patrice Cormier. Their defensive core is active in leading the rush and has good vision of the ice, particularly Bourdon and Sébastien Piché. Veteran Ouimet brings stability and depth but the team will rely on him more for his defence.

Weaknesses: Their goaltender, Maxim Gougeon, has to have a short memory and strong rebound control. Opposing teams targeted his substandard rebound control by firing from every angle. While he is generally strong on the first shot, far too many second chance opportunities were given out. In a tournament with such talented offensive teams, controlling rebounds is a must for Gougeon.

When Gougeon is on his game, he is an exceptional goaltender. However, as was seen in last year's playoffs when he was a member of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Gougeon seemingly has difficulty regaining composure when he is rattled. A lot of his team's success in this tournament will fall on his shoulders.

Keys to victory: Rimouski has more than just home ice working in their favour. Although the team hasn't played in three weeks, there's no excuse for the Océanic not to be prepared for their opponents through advanced scouting. Jodoin is one of the top coaches and excels in terms of preparation and motivation. His team knows the ins and outs of their building and will need to use them.

One example is how Rimouski took advantage of the opposite side benches, springing their men for breakaway feeds in the second period when the defensive pair from the opposition has farther to skate to get in position. A physical game with strong goaltending could go a long way in helping them realize their dream of hoisting the Memorial Cup on home ice.

Noteworthy: Clément Jodoin won the league title with the Lewiston MAINEiacs two seasons ago. His team was the first eliminated in Vancouver, B.C. in the 2007 tournament. Piché, who is signed by the Detroit Red Wings, was a defenceman on that team … Rimouski was the runners-up to the London Knights in the 2005 tournament. The Océanic were then led by Sidney Crosby. Crosby is one of two Océanic players to have gone first overall in the NHL draft after being picked first by Pittsburgh in 2005. Vincent Lecavalier is another Rimouski grad, going first overall to Tampa Bay in 1998. … Rimouski defeated the Barrie Colts of the OHL in the 2000 Memorial Cup final. … Rimouski was ranked fourth in the CHL's Mosaik MasterCard Top 10 Rankings before the season began, but never placed in the top 10 since. … The last QMJHL to win the Memorial Cup was the Québec Remparts in 2006. … The last host team to win the Memorial Cup was in 2007 when the Vancouver Giants hoisted the championship on home ice. … Two of the last three Memorial Cup champions did not win their league (Vancouver, 2007 and Québec, 2006). … Seven QMJHL teams have won the Memorial Cup since 1972 when the tournament originally introduced the format which included all three leagues.

NHL Drafted Océanic: Logan MacMillan, 1st round in 2007 (Anaheim Ducks); Keven Veilleux, 2nd round in 2007 (Pittsburgh Penguins); Olivier Fortier, 3rd round in 2007 (Montreal Canadiens); Luca ****i, 3rd round in 2007 (Tampa Bay Lightning); Patrice Cormier, 2nd round in 2008 (New Jersey Devils); Marc-André Bourdon, 3rd round in 2008 (Philadelphia Flyers); Philippe Cornet, 5th round in 2008 (Edmonton Oilers).

2009 NHL Draft Eligible players: Jordan Caron, RW; Ilya Silik, LW; Patrick Delisle-Houde, LW; Gleason Fournier, D; William Plourde, D; Ryan Kavanagh, D.

Regular season record: 44-23-1-0 (89 points)
League regular season ranking: Sixth overall, second in Telus Eastern Division
Combined regular season and playoff home record: 29-10-1-0
Regular season goal differential: 267-223
Playoff goal differential: 43-42
Playoff record: 8-5
Memorial Cup appearances: Two (2000 and 2005)
Memorial Cup championships: One (2000)
League championships: Two (2000 and 2005)

[Malc]

By PATRICK KING Sportsnet.ca

If the Windsor Spitfires were a year ahead of schedule in their rebuild last season then this year's Ontario Hockey League championship is a sign of things to come. The Spitfires had a target on their back all season long after enjoying a 51-point turnaround a year ago. Windsor finished first overall with 115 points, the highest in franchise history and won their second league championship.

While many expected the Spitfires to finish first and win their league, the mere fact they did is impressive given their youth and high expectations. Windsor hadn't won a playoff series their three previous years while the team had never reached the final since winning in 1988.

Windsor proved to be quick learners as the core of their group were mostly young and inexperienced in the playoffs. Defenceman Ryan Ellis and forward Taylor Hall became the faces of the franchise last season in their rookie year and have not disappointed. The team added veteran leadership in a deadline deal to acquire forward Scott Timmins, defenceman Ben Shutron and goaltender Josh Unice, all of whom had won the league title last season with the Kitchener Rangers.

The move for veteran leadership helped solidify their chances this season. The team received balanced scoring in the playoffs, as evidenced by Eric Wellwood's two overtime goals in the series against the London Knights. After beating the Knights, a series many predicted would determine the Western Conference crown from the outset, the Spitfires became a near impossible force in their series with Brampton. Windsor made quick work of the Battalion in the league championship series with Hall providing the heroics in overtime in Game 5.

Strengths: Windsor's biggest strength is their offence. The Spitfires are loaded with top-end talent and have the depth to score from any line. Nine players scored double-digits in points through their playoff run, with Hall, the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs, leading the way with 36 points in 20 games. Hall is a dynamic scorer with a hard and accurate wrist shot. His speed and vision of the offensive zone are two weapons he uses to create chances.

Ellis, a potential top 10 pick this summer, has one of the hardest slapshots in junior hockey. What Ellis loses in size he makes up for with his hockey sense. If he were a few inches taller, he would contend for a top three selection in this year's draft as his game just keeps getting better. His defensively play is sound and he has a penchant for jumping up and catching on-rushing forwards with their head down, just as he did Brampton's Matt Kang in the final.

Russian forward Andrei Loktionov is another gifted offensive threat. Loktionov is silky smooth in the offensive zone and is dangerous from the half-boards. Dale Mitchell and Greg Nemisz provide a physical element with a soft touch around the net.

Windsor is also defensively reliable from the forward position with players such as Timmins, Adam Henrique and the gritty Lane MacDermid. Their team is well-rounded with solid role players.

Weaknesses: The biggest concern the Spitfires may have is in goal with Andrew Engelage. While he takes up a lot of net at six-foot-five and 206 pounds, he's very reliant on his butterfly, which opens the top half of the net. The London Knights exploited this in their series by scoring several goals by shooting high on Engelage. Opposing teams have also found success on second-chance opportunities as Engelage isn't always able to quickly move side-to-side.

Backup Unice has Memorial Cup experience with the Rangers a year ago but he was unimpressive in the tournament and will be used more as insurance. Engelage performed very well in the finals against the Battalion, which will help from a confidence standpoint. The Spitfires will need to continue giving their goaltender help by clearing his rebounds if they're going to be successful in this tournament.

Keys to victory: The Spitfires love riding momentum and have the ability to bury a team quickly when their offence is clicking. Windsor receives a huge boost in confidence when things begin going their way, no matter the score. Once their foot is on the gas pedal, it's hard to slow them down.

A strong defensive effort will be needed for the Spitfires in the tournament. Their defensive play was fairly strong this season but will be tested against the elite teams from each league. London gave them their biggest test defensively and the Spitfires emerged but in large part due to their offensive firepower. Although the Spitfires would do well by not engaging in a high-scoring game, they have the talent to succeed in a wide-open affair.

Noteworthy: Head coach Bob Boughner was the league's coach of the year the last two seasons. … General manager Warren Rychel was the league's executive of the year this season. … Windsor once hosted the Memorial Cup, in 1980, but did not play in the tournament as hosts then were not given automatic entry. … The Spitfires were runners-up to the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 1988 Memorial Cup, their only previous appearance in the tournament. … Windsor finished second in the CHL's Mosaik MasterCard Top 10 rankings at the end of this season. The Spitfires were ranked first 20 of the 27 weeks. … The last OHL team to win the Memorial Cup was in 2005 when the London Knights defeated the Rimouski Océanic. … The last OHL team to win the Memorial Cup when it was hosted by the QMJHL was the Kitchener Rangers in 2003. That tournament was hosted in Québec City, Que. … 12 teams from the OHL/Ontario Hockey Association won the Memorial Cup since 1972 when the tournament format originally included all three leagues.

NHL Drafted Spitfires: Ben Shutron, 4th round in 2006 (Chicago Blackhawks); Dale Mitchell, 3rd round in 2007 (Toronto Maple Leafs); Josh Unice, 3rd round in 2007 (Chicago Blackhawks); Richard Greenop, 6th round in 2007 (Chicago Blackhawks); Greg Nemisz, 1st round in 2008 (Calgary Flames); Adam Henrique, 3rd round in 2008 (New Jersey Devils); Andrei Loktionov, 5th round in 2008 (Los Angeles Kings); Harry Young, 7th round in 2008 (New Jersey Devils).

2009 NHL Draft Eligible players: Ryan Ellis, D; Jesse Blacker, D; Ben Dubois, C; Ron Soucie, D.

Regular season record: 57-10-0-1 (115 points)
League regular season ranking: First overall, first in Western Conference
Combined regular season and playoff road record: 33-9-0-1
Regular season goal differential: 311-171
Playoff goal differential: 102-59
Playoff record: 16-4
Memorial Cup appearances: One (1988)
Memorial Cup championships: None
League championships: Two (1988 and 2009)