Rimouski, London kick off Memorial Cup
5/21/2005 9:53:58 AM
LONDON, Ont. (CP) - Rimouski Oceanic head coach Doris Labonte insists the 2005 Memorial Cup isn't just about his team and the London Knights, but Saturday's opening game between the two clubs is the most highly-anticipated match of the round robin.
The Knights and Oceanic finished the season ranked first and second respectively in the Canadian Hockey League and were the only two teams in the CHL to score over 300 goals.
Both teams put together record-setting unbeaten runs - London at the beginning of the season and Rimouski at the end.
But it is also the first chance hockey fans will get to see Sidney Crosby play since he helped Canada win gold at the world junior hockey championship in January. The 17-year-old sniper from Cole Harbour, N.S., is the buzz at this tournament.
He and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Oceanic, an explosive team on offence, will attempt the difficult task of beating the Knights at the John Labatt Centre where London, the host and Ontario Hockey League champion, has lost only two games this season.
The Knights have the defensive chops to go along with a potent offence as they had the lowest-goals against in the CHL.
"They're ranked No. 1 in the tournament and we have to go in there and be ready and expect a tough crowd and a crowd that's going to energize them," Crosby said. "We have to make sure we're ready right off the top."
There is also the subplot of Crosby squaring off against former Canadian junior teammates Corey Perry, also his linemate, and Danny Syvret.
"We're not going to be cheap, I don't think. There's not going to be any cheapshots or anything like that," Crosby said. "When you're on the ice, obviously, you have to put those friendships aside."
Said Perry: "It will be all business. He's an enemy on the ice, but off the ice we're friends. When it comes down to it, if I hit him or he hits me, it's all part of the game."
The Western Hockey League champion Kelowna Rockets, making their third straight appearance at this tournament, take on the OHL runner-up Ottawa 67's Sunday (4 p.m. EDT, Rogers Sportsnet). The top team after the round-robin earns a bye to the final on May 29. The second- and third-place teams meet in the semifinal May 28.
The Knights' team defence is nearly airtight and will concern itself with the line of Crosby, Dany Roussin and Marc-Antoine Pouliot. The Oceanic have other scores, however, particularly on the back end in Mario Scalzo Jr., and Patrick Coulombe.
Knights coach Dale Hunter said Friday he hadn't decided which goaltender - Adam Dennis or Gerald Coleman - will earn the start against the Oceanic.
Both teams have the skills and speed to play a puck-possession game, so faceoffs and work along the boards and in the corners will be important.
"I think we have to play physical," Syvret said. "I think we have to play one of our best games all year to open things up at the Memorial Cup. I don't know much about their team. The first period will sort of be a feeling-out process. Hopefully we can keep them off the scoresheet in the first and limit our errors and mistakes."
London needs to stay out of the penalty box against a team whose power play was clicking along at nearly 30 per cent in the post-season. Rimouski's defence will have its hands full with the Knights forward lines, which are loaded with players such as Perry, Dyan Hunter, David Bolland, Dan Fritsche and Rob Schremp.
The players on both clubs have anticipated this game as much as hockey fans have.
"Since the start of the season, we've seen London," Roussin said. "We knew they were going to be at the Memorial Cup. They never lost, they had straight wins.
"In Quebec, all the people said the Rimouski Oceanic were going to be at the Memorial Cup. We thought a little bit we were going to play that team."
But Labonte, who coached Rimouski to a Memorial Cup title five years ago, cautioned that there are two other teams in this tournament.
"The Cup won't be given Saturday night," Labonte said. "It's going to be the 29th and not before, so cool down because you could see Kelowna and Ottawa in the final."
The Knights set a CHL record for the longest unbeaten streak by going 31 games without a loss to start the 2004-05 season. Who knows how long that streak would have gone had Perry and Syvret and American Schremp not left to play in the world junior tournament?
Rimouski's unbeaten run was cut off at 28 by the conclusion of the regular-season schedule, although the Oceanic then won seven straight playoff games before suffering their lone post-season loss to Chicoutimi.
"In our head, we beat the record because we got up to 35," said Roussin, a Florida Panthers draft pick.
I'm going for the London Knight. I hope they kick Kelowna's ASSSSSSS!!!!
CKA Super Elite 
Rimouski is very arrogant. Kind of like Kelowna.
