
Windsor Spitfires celebrate with the Memorial Cup after beating the Kelowna Rockets 4-1 in Sunday's final. (Photo: Aaron Bell - CHL) |
Rockets fall short in Memorial Cup final
by
Wayne Moore - Story:
47145
May 24, 2009 / 4:29 pm
Three shots -- three goals -- game over.
The Windsor Spitfires jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead then threw a defensive blanket over the Kelowna Rockets in winning the 2009 Memorial Cup Championship 4-1 Sunday in Rimouski, Quebec.
Adam Henrique, Dale Mitchell and Rob Kwiet on a power-play gave the Spitfires a 3-0 lead on the team's first three shots of the game just 7:11 into the opening period.
Mark Guggenberger, who has been battling through an injury for more than a month, was lifted after the third goal in favour of Adam Brown.
The Rockets back-up net minder turned aside 24 of 25 shots he faced, including two tremendous saves off Mitchell on a breakaway, just seconds after he came into the game.
Colin Long batted home a rebound on a power-play eight seconds into the second, but despite outplaying Windsor over the next several minutes, couldn't get any closer.
Ryan Ellis rounded out the scoring 12:46 into the second with a bullet from the point to close out the scoring.
The Rockets were unable to mount any sort of sustained attack in the third period as the Spitfires drew a defensive blanket over the WHL Champions.
Taylor Hall of the Spitfires was named the tournament Most Valuable Player.
The fans in Rimouski booed the Rockets every time they touched the puck during the opening period, voicing their displeasure over the Rockets effort in their final round robin game on Tuesday.
The Rockets admittedly did not play well in that game, a 2-1 loss to the Windsor Spitfires and a game that allowed Windsor to stay alive in the tournament.
Two members of the Rockets, forward Jamie Benn and defenceman Tyler Myers were named to the Memorial Cup all-star team.
After losing their opening two games, the Spitfires needed to win three straight elimination games just to advance to Sunday's winner-take-all final.
Windsor became the first team in Memorial Cup history to win the championship after losing their opening two games.
The Spitfires beat the Rockets 2-1 in the final game of round robin and defeated Rimouski 6-4 in the tie-breaker before edged Drummondville 3-2 in overtime in the semi-final.
In the end, the Rockets were unable to raise their game to the level it was at when they knocked off both the Vancouver Giants and Calgary Hitmen.
At least seven Rockets played their last games of junior hockey Sunday.
Ian Duval, Ryley Grantham and Tysen Dowzak all graduated after Sunday's loss while Tyler Myers, Jamie Benn, Mikael Backlund, Cody Almond and possibly Colin Long, are all expected to make the jump to pro hockey in either the American Hockey League or the National Hockey League next season.
The Rockets will return home between on a charter flight between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday.
There will be no public access for the team at the airport. Instead, fans who wish to greet the team are asked to show up at Prospera Place for a welcoming celebration at about 5:30 p.m.
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