Kelowna and Oshawa meet in 97th MasterCard Memorial Cup Final
The final chapter in the long history of the Pepsi Colisée will be written on Sunday.
The OHL Champion Oshawa Generals bring a perfect 3-0 record into the 97th MasterCard Memorial Cup Final against the WHL Champion Kelowna Rockets, fresh off a decisive 9-3 victory over the Québec Remparts on Friday.
Oshawa, who will be the home team and have last change on Sunday, defeated Kelowna 2-1 on Tuesday, thwarting a late surge by the Rockets in the final minutes of the game to hang on for the win.
“I think we learned that it’s not going to be easy,” said Kelowna coach Dan Lambert on Saturday. “They’re a team that doesn’t give you much time or space and they’re very good down low. We’re going to need a full lineup of players performing at their best if we want a positive outcome.”
“They make it hard to get to the net,” star Kelowna centreman Leon Draisaitl added. “They are a big team so we will have to find ways to get to the net and make plays.”
The respect shown to Oshawa is mutual, with Generals coach DJ Smith complimenting Kelowna’s attack.
“They can score, they have a lot of skill. I mean, you don’t sweep a WHL Final if you’re not a legitimate team, which they obviously are. Their top line is probably the best in the tournament.”
For several players involved, Sunday’s affair will be the final game of their junior careers as they look to go out on top with a win in their biggest game yet.
“It’s bittersweet you know,” Oshawa overage captain Josh Brown said. “This has honestly been the best time of my life these past four years. I call these guys my best friends. We work night in and night out for the guy next to us. Ending with a win will make this process a whole lot easier.”
Ending with a win is still a highlight in the lives of former Kelowna Rockets in Shea Weber and Josh Gorges, who hoisted the Memorial Cup as hosts back in 2004.
“When you play junior for a team and you have success, it’s in your blood and it never goes away,” Lambert, a 1989 MasterCard Memorial Cup Champion with the Swift Current Broncos added. “Even when you move on to bigger and better like former champs in Shea Weber and Josh Gorges, there’s still a part of you that stays plugged in.”
The Rockets franchise is in the hunt for its second MasterCard Memorial Cup title while the Oshawa Generals are chasing their fifth, with other victories coming in 1939, 1940, 1944 and 1990 with star centreman Eric Lindros on the team.
From 60 teams down to just two, the 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup will be sure to close the doors on the Pepsi Colisée in fine style.
“It’s one of the most exciting games and trophies in all of sports,” DJ Smith concluded. “It’s a tradition for a lot of people to watch the Memorial Cup on Sunday. I’m sure people everywhere will be on edge.”
The puck drops at 7:00pm ET with the game being aired on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific and on TVA Sports throughout Québec.
