It’s finally here. The ultimate championship in Canadian Junior hockey. The 2018 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The 100th iteration of the competition.<\/p>\n
After a 68 game regular season (72 if you’re in the WHL) and three gruelling playoff runs, the Canadian Hockey League’s three champions have been crowned.<\/p>\n
The Hamilton Bulldogs thwarted the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in six games in the OHL. In the WHL, the Swift Current Broncos only needed six games themselves to move past the Everett Silvertips. The theme of sixes carried over to the QMJHL, where the Acadie-Bathurst Titan pushed past the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.<\/p>\n
All while the Regina Pats, the host of this year’s tournament, sat and waited. They were ousted in Round 1 by Swift Current in seven games.<\/p>\n
Now just eight, potentially nine, games remain in the 2017\/18 CHL season. Will the three-year run of the OHL continue? Or will the QMJHL or WHL reclaim a trophy 100 years in the making?<\/p>\n
Here’s a little more information on teams taking part.<\/p>\n
Regular Season Record:<\/strong> 43-18-4-3, 83 points, first in Eastern Confernece One Thing to Know:<\/strong> Whether it\u2019s Robert Thomas or Brandon Saigeon\u2019s regular season numbers you\u2019re looking at, neither would top any of the other three in scoring. The Broncos were led by three 100-points scorers (Glenn Gawdin, Aleksi Heponiemi and Tyler Steenbergen), both Cameron Hebig and Sam Steel cleared the 80-point mark for Regina, and the Titan\u2019s Antoine Morand beat out Thomas by one point. The Bulldogs are second in goals-against among the final four (207), trailing only Acadie-Bathurst who allowed 183 against.<\/p>\n Last @BulldogsOHL<\/a> practice before the @MCMemorialCup journey west. This group is ready to go I\u2019d say! #MCMemorialCup<\/a> #OHL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/b7XXvg8oC9<\/a><\/p>\n — Troy Izlakar \ud83c\udfd2 (@izzies44) May 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nLeading Scorer:<\/strong> Brandon Saigeon<\/strong> \u2013 G: 35, A: 35, PTS: 70*
\n*Robert Thomas<\/a> finished the regular season with 75 points split between London (46 points in 27 games) and Hamilton (29 points in 22 games).
\n<\/em>Playoff Record:<\/strong> 16-5
\nLeading Scorer:<\/strong> Robert Thomas<\/strong> \u2013 G: 12, A: 20, PTS: 32; Named playoff MVP (\u201899\u2019 Award)
\nBetween the Pipes:<\/strong> Kaden Fulcher<\/strong> – 32-17-4-2, 2.86 GAA, 0.899 SV%
\nFirst Time NHL Draft Eligibles:<\/strong> Nick Donofrio, G<\/strong> (GP: 17, 11-1-0-1, GAA: 3.14, SV%: 0.884)
\nNHL Prospects:<\/strong> Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues<\/a><\/strong> (1st round, 2017), Will Bitten, Montreal Canadiens<\/a><\/strong> (3rd round, 2016), Matthew Strome<\/a>, Philadelphia Flyers<\/strong> (4th round, 2017), Riley Stillman, Florida Panthers<\/a><\/strong> (4th round, 2016), MacKenzie Entwistle<\/a>, Arizona Coyotes<\/a><\/strong> (3rd round, 2017)\u00a0Nicholas Caamano, Dallas Stars<\/a><\/strong> (5th round, 2016), Marian Studenic, New Jersey Devils<\/a><\/strong> (5th round, 2017), Nicolas Mattinen, Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a><\/strong> (6th round, 2016),\u00a0Kaden Fulcher, Detroit Red Wings<\/a><\/strong> (FA)
\nMemorial Cup Schedule:<\/strong> Friday @ Regina, Monday vs Swift Current, Tuesday vs Acadie-Bathurst
\nPrevious Memorial Cup Experience:<\/strong> None. (Belleville: Lost in 2008 semi-final, lost in 1999 semi-final)<\/p>\n\n