Current OHL champions last won CHL championship in 2005
By Mark Schadenberg
LONDON -- The London Knights departed Wednesday for the Memorial Cup in Shawinigan, Quebec.
At the OHL-champion's last practice Tuesday, Dale Hunter was not at the rink. As announced by Dale on Monday it would be the club's head coach for its past 61 games (29-13 in regular season; 16-3 in playoffs), Mark Hunter, who had the whistle.
Goalie Michael Houser, who was named the Ontario Hockey League's most outstanding player (Red Tilson Award) for the regular season and in the process tied the league record for wins (46), indicated that Dale Hunter, who is club president and majority owner, will be more than just a fan.
"It's another set of eyes watching the games now," said Houser. "We're excited to have Dale back, but Mark is still the head coach, and it will be good to have Dale there in Shawinigan for support."
With Dale Hunter pulling the reins (he owns successful race horses as well as the family's farming interests), the Knights were 20-5-1, but on Nov. 28, the phone rang and the Washington Capitals were calling. Lifting Washington into the playoffs as the Eastern Conference No 7 seed, Dale would also reach Game 7 of the NHL conference semis before losing to the New York Rangers.
On Monday, Dale Hunter announced he was returning to the Knights fold.
For London, the reward for winning the OHL championship, is an opportunity to begin the Memorial Cup in a matchup against the defending champions, meeting the back-to-back QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday, May 18. It will be day two of the gruelling eight-day tournament to determine the best club in the CHL. The four-team event begins Friday with the host Shawinigan Cataractes drawing the Western Hockey League champion Edmonton Oil Kings.
The Knights won the OHL title and its J Ross Robertson Cup this past Friday, downing the Niagara IceDogs 2-1 to claim the best-of-seven 4-1.
London's roster is led by NHL undrafted goalie Houser. His MVP moniker doesn't add additional pressure.
"I don't think that adds any more pressure to me. I just tried to do my my job all year and try to win some hockey games," said Houser.
"These are some of the most important hockey games some of us will ever play. We believed in ourselves in the locker room that we had the type of team that could make some noise at playoff time," Houser added.
Mark Hunter describes the lineup as a cohesive mix of both veterans and youth with many '94 and '95 skaters shining before their time. London entered January with established names such as leading scorer Seth Griffith, along with Tampa prospect Vladislav Namestnikov, Bruins draftee Jared Knight, and a solid blueline led by Montreal first rounder Jarred Tinordi, and Team Canada junior and Penguins pick Scott Harrington. Griffith led the Knights in both the regular season (45 goals; 85 points) and playoffs (23 points).
That core was fortified with the arrival of Greg McKegg (Toronto) of nearby St. Thomas and Brett Cook from Erie, along with Austin Watson (Nashville) from Peterborough at the trade deadline. Watson, who won a Memorial Cup in 2009 with the Windsor Spitfires, was the OHL playoff MVP (99 Award) with 10 goals, seven assists and an important defensive forward role in killing penalties.
McKegg says he doesn't feel any additional hometown pressure as Tommy Hughes, Colin Martin and Brett Welychka are other London-area players on the roster.
"Hopefully I can contribute and help win a Memorial Cup," said McKegg, who had 11 playoff points despite missing the entire Kitchener playoff series due to an injury.
"I get to play in my hometown and we won the OHL championship and that was something special, but the Memorial Cup would be the best thing," he added.
The younger players of note are Max Domi (Tie's son), Bo Horvat, Chris Tierney, Josh Anderson, highly touted defenceman Olli Maatta of Finland, and twin forwards Ryan and Matt Rupert. Ryan Rupert's production in the OHL final included four goals versus the Ice Dogs -- all in road wins in St Catharines. Maatta is ranked No 8 in the final NHL Central Scouting tabulations for the upcoming draft, and was tied for the London lead in playoff points with 23, including six goals.
"(Compared to the 2005 Memorial Cup champion Knights) We have a more mixture of younger guys, who have all gelled quicker than we thought they would," said Mark Hunter on Tuesday. (TODAY)
"One thing we've done all year is play four lines and six on defence, and we have the depth in the organization to fill key holes if anyone ever gets hurt. One thing I felt we have done is not wear out our team," added Hunter, who was general manager only and not on the bench in 2005 when the Knights won its only previous Memorial Cup appearance, a title won in London.
"It's a little different now. I'm not grinding my teeth as much now because I'm trying to react to the game at ice level and I'm more involved in the play," said Hunter.
The Sea Dogs earned its way back to the Memorial Cup by sweeping the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final over Rimouski, capping the series with a lopsided 8-0 win. Head coach Gerard Gallant, who played over 600 NHL games mostly with the Red Wings as a player, won the QMJHL title twice as a player wearing a Sherbrooke jersey.
The Sea Dogs' regular season included 50 wins in 68 starts.
Memorial Cup host Shawinigan posted 45 wins in the regular season and after ousting Rouyn-Noranda in four straight were dispatched from the playoffs by Chicoutimi in seven.
Edmonton also collected 50 wins in its 72-game WHL schedule and posted an impressive 11-game win streak to end the regular season and extended that string to a total of 22 during the playoffs. However, the Oil Kings needed seven games to beat Portland in the league final.
After opening the eight-day event versus Saint John, the Knights will faceoff against the host Cataractes on Sunday at 7 p.m. before completing their portion of the round robin on Tuesday against Edmonton.
If a tiebreaker is necessary it would be played on the Thursday, while the semifinal (2nd vs 3rd) is slated for Friday, May 25, and the championship on Sunday, May 27. MEMORIAL CUP
Full Schedule (Sportsnet TV)
Friday, May 18, 7 p.m.
Edmonton vs Shawinigan
Saturday, May 19, 7 p.m.
London vs Saint John
Sunday, May 20, 7 p.m.
London vs Shawinigan
Monday, May 21, 7 p.m.
Saint John vs Edmonton
Tuesday, May 22, 7 p.m.
London vs Edmonton
Wednesday, May 23, 7 p.m.
Saint John vs Shawinigan
Thursday, May 24,
Tiebreaker, if necessary
Friday, May 25, 7 p.m.
Semifinal
Sunday, May 27, 7 p.m.
Final
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