The long, long junior hockey season wasn’t quite long enough for the Owen Sound Attack.
Missing their two star forwards and banged up after 68 regular season games, followed by 22 playoff games, followed by three MasterCard Memorial Cup games – the Attack finally ran out of gas in their 94th game of the season.
After taking a 2-0 lead after the first period the Attack finally wilted in the final 40 minutes, dropping a 7-3 decision to the Kootenay Ice in the tiebreaker game of the tournament on Thursday night.
The Ice will meet the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors in the semi-final game on Friday night with the winner facing the Saint John Sea Dogs in the title game Sunday at 7 p.m. (broadcast live on Sportsnet Radio The Fan 590 and Rogers Sportsnet).
The Attack did win the Ontario Hockey League championship, which certainly is a consolation, and a great one. They defeated the heavily favored Majors in seven games in the championship series, winning Game 7 in overtime.
Years from now, maybe months from now, maybe even days from now, the Attack will concentrate on that fantastic achievement. After the game, however, there was nothing but bitter disappointment.
“It’s a huge loss and it’s pretty devastating for me,” Owen Sound goalie Scott Stajcer said. “I take the blame for this game.
“I can’t let that happen. It’s really tough.”
Stajcer is being too hard on himself. He did allow six of the seven goals after getting the surprise nod to start in goal, but Thursday’s game was clearly a case of a team running out of gas while being beset with injuries.
Joey Hishon exited the tournament in the opener and Garrett Wilson was knocked out in their third game. That combined with the usual injuries all teams face was too much for Owen Sound to overcome.
The players and coaches were all beyond consoling right after the game, but veteran forward Robby Mignardi at least was able to offer a little perspective.
“In training camp I read an article that said we were going to be 16th in the league and not going to make the Western Conference playoffs,” Mignardi said. “We won a championship. We’re the best team in the OHL.
“The OHL championship is a wonderful thing.”
Indeed it is. Many players, coaches and officials will quietly tell you that the league championship is even more important than the Memorial Cup, just because it’s the league title you play for all year and it’s more of a real test than the Cup tournament, which can be a bit of a crapshoot because of the format.
Anything can happen in a short tournament – a hot goalie, a bad bounce, a bad officials call (been a few of those), or injuries just catching up with you.
It was the later that ended Owen Sound’s magical run more than anything else. At least they will soon have OHL championship rings to wear and enjoy.
One down, three to go – and those three teams will be looking for something the Attack won’t be able to wear this time around.
That’s a Memorial Cup championship ring.

By Roger Lajoie

            The events of Sunday, May 15 hurt a little less for the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors after Wednesday night.

            On May 15 the Majors lost the Ontario Hockey League championship to the Owen Sound Attack in their own building, on a goal in overtime in Game 7 no less. They will never forget that loss, but the sting of that defeat is a little less painful now.

            Mississauga defeated Owen Sound 3-1 in the final round-robin game of the MasterCard Memorial Cup on Wednesday night and while they still have to win two more games to win the title – and perhaps one of them against Owen Sound again in the semi-final on Friday night – they now have something positive to build on.

            Majors General Manager/Coach Dave Cameron says his team has already moved on.

            “We analyzed losing that series,” Cameron says. “That’s part of getting over the disappointment of it.

            “But it’s done.”

            And the Majors certainly appeared to be a lot more over that loss after Wednesday night’s game than they were last week, when they had to wait for the MasterCard Memorial Cup to start. They started the tournament by losing to Saint John, but have since rebounded with wins over Kootenay and Owen Sound to reserve a spot in Friday night’s semi-final.

            Wednesday’s game was their best one of the tournament, although their failure to capitalize on numerous scoring chances especially on the power play made the final score closer than it should have been.

            But a win is a win – and that win means the banged-up Attack now face the prospect of playing three games in three days while the Majors have a night off on Thursday. Kootenay is also more rested and they could even eliminate Owen Sound tonight in the tie-breaker.

            “It’s huge,” Majors forward Devante Smith-Pelly said of the victory. “If you do end up coming out of the tie-breaker, that’s three in three and it ends up being four in five (with the final). The day of rest will do us well.”

            An extra day of rest would not help the Attack much, as two of their star players are definitely out of tonight’s tie-breaker against the Ice. Joey Hishon was injured earlier in the tournament and will not play, and Garrett Wilson was hurt on Wednesday night and has been declared out for the tournament.

            “We will not jeopardize the health of our players and in the case of concussions, we will always err on the side of caution,” Owen Sound general Manager Dale DeGray said.

            Missing two of their top stars will make it that much tougher for the Attack tonight, who face a Kootenay team that appears to be getting strong as the tournament goes on.

            Owen Sound manhandled them 5-0 in their round-robin game, but that was before the injuries hit Owen Sound. The Ice lost a hard fought 2-1 decision to the Majors and then beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 5-4 in overtime to stay alive for tonight’s game.

            So after starting the tournament 0-1, the Majors have won two straight games and now appear to be in the driver’s seat to face Saint John in the Sunday’s final, no matter who wins tonight’s tie-breaker.

            Will recent history repeat itself with more heartache for the Majors, or will they get the ultimate revenge in winning the Memorial Cup.

            “You can’t undo your past,” Cameron says. “But you can learn from it.”

            That is the hope in Mississauga, anyway.

By Roger Lajoie

It is not impossible for a team to win a MasterCard Memorial Cup playing in the tie-breaker game – but it’s nearly impossible.

The Windsor Spitfires did it in 2009, coming back from an 0-2 start to the tournament to win four straight games – including the tie-breaker – to claim the Cup that year. But it is definitely not the recommend path to the championship game, which this year takes place Sunday, May 29 at the Hershey Centre.

The Kootenay Ice are just happy to get the chance to play in the tie-breaker game after they scored a thrilling 5-4 overtime win over the Saint John Sea Dogs on Tuesday night. Kootenay started the tournament with two straight losses, so to still be playing has to be considered an achievement.

But the task they have ahead of them is gargantuan – and so will be the task of the loser of Wednesday night’s game between the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors and the Owen Sound Attack.

The loser of that game goes into the tie-breaker Thursday night against the Ice. So in order for them to win the MasterCard Memorial Cup, they would have to play games Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. That’s four games in five days – and if they did make it to the final, they’d have to face the Saint John Sea Dogs, who will have four days of rest.

Good luck with that.

But you can’t quit, and of course it can happen. The Ice now face the prospect of games Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the same tough and well rest opponent in the finals, but they feel they still have a chance to win it all.

Matt Fraser scored the overtime winner against the Sea Dogs and he feels since the Ice have already won one elimination game, they may as well win another three.

“There’s three more games we’ve got to win now,” a beaming Fraser said after the OT winner. “That was a big step for us to keep playing.

“Now we have that confidence back and a bit of a swagger. We’re a desperate hockey team. Desperate teams take chances and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Kootenay coach Kris Knoblauch is saying all the right things too.

“We’re going to see a few more elimination games, hopefully, to get to Sunday.”

They certainly have a chance. But to have to play four games in six days won’t be easy for the Ice. And it will be even harder for the loser of the Majors/Attack game, who face a four in five stretch.

“We’re not thinking about that right now,” Mississauga General Manager/Coach Dave Cameron said. “It’s one game at a time in a tournament like this.

“Both of us (Majors and Attack) know the schedule and how much harder it is to win the tournament if you play the tie-breaker, but we’ll deal with that if it happens.

“The easy thing to do would be to just keep winning.”

Six days into the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, and the Sea Dogs are in the driver’s seat. They will be well rested, they are playing well and the team they face will have a much tougher road to Sunday’s final.

Especially if that team has to play the tie-breaker Thursday.

By Roger Lajoie

The Mastercard Memorial Cup format is largely a good one and it works to make for a great event – but from time to time it makes for some confusion and awkwardness. This year is one of those years.

Four games are in the books in the round-robin portion of the event and the hockey has been pretty darn good. But because of the way the tournament is structured, one of the remaining games may mean nothing and another has a team playing in it that really doesn’t need to win.

Nobody’s fault, this kind of scenario just happens from time to time in tournaments of this nature. Those familiar with junior hockey understand it, those not so familiar may need an explanation.There are four teams in the tournament and the team with the worst record in the round-robin will be eliminated. The top seeded team goes directly to Sunday’s final while the other two teams play in the semi-final on Friday. That’s simple enough and no problems there.

But when results go a certain way, it leads to the possibility of a nothing game and a team not really caring if they win or not and that is the case this year.

The Saint John Sea Dogs are 2-0 and have already clinched a spot in Sunday’s title game. On Tuesday night they face the Kootenay Ice (0-2) who face elimination from the tournament.

Saint John plays Sunday no matter what happens for the title. And if Kootenay wins, it forces a tie-breaker on Thursday, which means the other three teams have to play more games and the Sea Dogs potential Sunday opponent may have to play as many as four games in five days.

Therefore what’s in the game for Saint John? Not much really. They want to stay healthy at this point and an extra game being added isn’t going to make it any easier for the remaining teams.

Of course they want to win every game and go into the final on a high note. Of course they know integrity is at stake if there’s even a hint of them not trying their hardest. Of course they’d like to eliminate one team themselves right away. But the bottom line is they don’t HAVE to win the game and an argument could be made that it actually helps them a tad to lose.

OK, let’s say Saint John does win and Kootenay is eliminated. That leaves Mississauga and Owen Sound to play on Wednesday night in the final round-robin game, a game that would mean – pretty much nothing.

If that scenario plays out, Saint John is in the final, Kootenay is on vacation and Owen Sound and Mississauga are both 1-1 and both automatically in Friday’s semi-final. The only thing the winner of Wednesday’s game gets is “home ice” for the semi-final, which means the last change.

Yes, the two rivals have looked forward to this showdown for a long time. Yes, they want to win the game. Yes, there is the revenge factor for the Majors, who lost the OHL Finals to the Attack.

But bottom line is, neither team has to win the game. They both play each other Friday no matter what. If you are Owen Sound for example, would you risk playing an injured player if you already know you have a game two nights from now against the same team in what will be an elimination game? If you are the Majors, why would you bust your tail and win 7-1 on Wednesday, only to have to win on Friday no matter what happens Wednesday?

It’s awkward and it’s unfortunate to say the least, but that’s the scenario that is in place heading into Tuesday night’s play. The best thing that could happen for the tournament is for Kootenay to win tonight, which means Owen Sound and Mississauga will play Wednesday in a game that means a lot – the winner goes right to the semi-final while the loser has to play Kootenay in a tie-breaker.

But either way Saint John plays for the championship on Sunday. And from their perspective, a tie-breaker just makes a potential opponent perhaps play an extra game.

Nobody to blame, but a team not having to win on Tuesday, and two teams with nothing to play for on Wednesday, put a damper on a tournament where every game should mean something and be a real battle.

I’m sure all the teams will conduct themselves the right way and play hard in any scenario, but the mere fact that these scenarios exist – and exist far too often at MasterCard Memorial Cups – is a flaw in a round-robin tournament.

By Roger Lajoie

There is no doubt that there’s a lot of pressure at a Memorial Cup tournament. Everybody feels it – the players, the coaches, the managers, the referees, even the fans.

There’s so much at stake of course for everybody involved – with 60 teams starting the season trying to win it, the Memorial Cup becomes one of the hardest trophies to win in North American sports. So it gets pretty intense.

The heat is on everybody – but nobody is feeling more heat as the puck gets set to drop at the Hershey Centre than Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors General Manager/Coach Dave Cameron.

One thing Cameron has going for him – he’s used to the heat. He was the head coach of Team Canada that lost the gold medal game to Russia at the world junior hockey championships in January, and he was behind the bench for Game 7 of the OHL Championship Series, which his team lost to the Owen Sound Attack in overtime.

Now it’s the Memorial Cup, to complete the “pressure hat trick” for Cameron. His Canada team blew a 3-0 lead after two periods in the gold medal game, and his Majors squandered 2-0 and 3-2 series leads against the Attack, so the obvious question to him was, has he recovered from those losses yet?

“Well, I’m still not allowed to play with anything sharp,” Cameron said during the Memorial Cup coaches news conference at the Hershey Centre on Thursday. “I can’t wait to get a win because those counselling sessions are really expensive.”

That was a joke of course – but the bitter pill that Cameron has had to swallow not just once but twice, may remain logged in his throat if his team doesn’t find a way to win this time around.

He is without question one of the best coaches in all of junior hockey. He is without question a bona-fide candidate to coach at the NHL level (perhaps early as next season with Ottawa a rumored destination). He is without question a great developer of young players and more importantly, young men.

But he is also without question under the intense heat of a spotlight yet again this week. However after decades of experience now in the game, the 52-year-old native of Kincora, P.E.I. says he’s much better prepared to handle both the good and the bad that junior hockey can deliver to him.

“After the world junior thing happened I said, ‘Thank God it didn’t happen 10 years ago in terms of where I was development-wise,’ “ Cameron said. “I’ve really tried to be even-keeled through it all . . . you have to be, that’s how you develop a thick skin.

“If there’s one thing I learned it’s probably how hard it is to win. But I’m not sure I learned that because I think I always knew it.”

Now he has yet one more chance to win with the national spotlight on him and his players. And Cameron expects the same dedication and focus from his players that he puts on himself.

“In this business when you’re dealing with 23 teenagers you have to be blunt,” he said. “I’m not concerned whether they like or don’t like me but they’ll never be able to sit in a rocking chair and say “I wish someone would’ve told me,” because I tell them.

“That bruises some egos along the way but that’s part of journey.’”

And that journey will end one way or the other for this latest group of Majors as they look to deliver the first Memorial Cup to the GTA in five decades, with lots of pressure on them and on their coach. Cameron says his team is ready – both on the ice and more importantly, mentally, after their devastating loss to Owen Sound.

“When you have a loss like that in such a key moment you have to absorb it, then you have to let it go and then you can re-group for your next adventure.

“We have to play our way and have to make sure we’re on top of our game. If we’re on top of our game and a team beats us, then we can live with that.”

They certainly can live with that – but you can bet that under the national spotlight, they sure don’t want to…especially Dave Cameron.

By Roger Lajoie

The 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup – it’s THE place to be seen if you’re a junior hockey player.

The eyes of the hockey world will be on The Hershey Centre in Mississauga starting Friday night when the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Saint John Sea Dogs take on the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors in the opening round robin game.

It’s a huge opportunity for the players who play in it, whether they have been drafted into the National Hockey League already, or are trying to get noticed by the scouts so they can get drafted this June. There is no bigger stage outside of the World Junior Hockey Championships for a player, and everybody’s performance will be watched and evaluated with enormous scrutiny.

There’s a lot at stake for every player, coach and official at this event, and there are plenty of players to watch. Here are four of them – one from each team – that will merit some of the brighter spotlights over the next 10 days.

JP ANDERSON Goalie, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors

The Majors suffered a crushing defeat in the OHL Championship Series at the hands of the Owen Sound Attack in seven games, so they will have revenge on their minds at the Memorial Cup.

Their chances at revenge are pretty much in the hands of Anderson, a Toronto native and San Jose Sharks draft pick who signed an entry level contract with the Sharks last summer.

Anderson was an emergency call-up with the Sharks during the regular season and dressed for one NHL game. He plays a lot more at the junior level, however, as he played every single minute of every playoff game for the Majors.

He’s one of the premier goalies in all of junior hockey and either led or was near the top of every significant goalie statistic all season. The Majors will go as far as the 19-year-old will take them in this tournament.

Mississauga plays a solid defensive style, but goaltending is always a huge key and Anderson has the ability to stay focused regardless of the score or style of play. He gives the Majors a big edge.

ROBBY MIGNARDI Right Wing, Owen Sound Attack

The best players on a junior hockey team aren’t always the best prospects. Fans not familiar with the OHL will see Mignardi play at the tournament and assume he’s an NHL draft pick. He isn’t.

But he’s a tremendous player at the junior level, and a veteran of five OHL seasons and 324 regular season games. Every Memorial Cup contending team needs a Mignardi type player and the veteran enjoyed a tremendous regular season.

He led all playoff scorers with 24 points in 22 post-season games and was the MVP of the OHL playoffs, helping carrying the Attack throughout all four rounds of the playoffs.

The Richmond Hill native is in his junior hockey swan song and is the key to the Attack’s high powered Attack. He deserves some time on the national stage after having only played two playoff games in his first four years in the league.

JONATHAN HUBERDEAU Centre, Saint John Sea Dogs

A top-flight prospect, Huberdeau certainly hasn’t hurt his draft prospects with his tremendous post-season.

He was a first round pick in the QMJHL draft in 2009 (18th overall) and is likely going to go a lot higher in the NHL draft this June. The St-Jerome, Quebec native is currently the third ranked North American prospect by NHL Central Scouting.

It’s easy to see why. He was the MVP of the QMJHL playoffs with 30 points in 19 games, including 16 goals, as the No. 1 ranked Sea Dogs followed up a dominating regular season with a league playoff title.

He potted the game-tying goal with 23 seconds left in Game 6 of the QMJHL final against Gatineau, as Saint John needed overtime to close out the title series. He also had a goal and an assist playing in the 2011 CHL Top Prospects Game at the Air Canada Centre earlier this season.

All eyes will be on him – especially the eyes of NHL scouts working for teams with very high draft picks.

CODY EAKIN Forward, Kootenay Ice

A third round draft pick of the Washington Capitals in 2009 (85th overall), the Winnipeg, Manitoba native joined the Ice in a jaw-dropping eight-for-one deal from the Swift Current Broncos the night before the WHL’s trade deadline.

Kootenay thought so much of Eakin they were willing to part with five players and three drafts picks to get the Broncos veteran captain, who was a mainstay there for four seasons. The move paid off.

The ice stunned the favored Saskatoon Blades in four straight games during the playoffs, and went 16-3 in the post-season after posting just the sixth best overall record in the WHL in the regular season. Eakin’s impact was a big reason why.

He posted 27 points in 19 playoff games to finish one point out of the WHL playoff scoring lead and his leadership skills have helped galvanize the Ice as they pulled off several post-season upsets.

Eakin has a lot of international experience and joined the Hershey Bears for the final part of the regular season and playoffs, helping them win a Calder Cup, last season.

There are so many great players and story lines at the MasterCard Memorial Cup – starting when the puck drops Friday night. The spotlight is getting ready to shine.