Spirit look to make Memorial Cup memories in Michigan
Hoping to become the 12th host team to ever win the Memorial Cup as Canadian Hockey League champions, the Saginaw Spirit remain determined after their hard-fought Western Conference battle against the OHL champion London Knights, looking to redeem themselves on the season’s final stage.
With Sault Ste. Marie winning as hosts in 1993, Ottawa in 1999, London in 2005, and Windsor in 2017, Saginaw aspires to become the fifth OHL team to achieve this prestigious mark on home soil.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman and two-time Stanley Cup champion Mikhail Sergachev, who helped the Windsor Spitfires capture the Memorial Cup seven years ago, reflected on his time at the tournament, and what it took to be crowned a Memorial Cup champion after losing in the opening round of the 2017 OHL Playoffs.
“I forever cherish those moments with the guys and will never forget that winning feeling. We didn’t win the OHL Championship that year; we won the tournament. We took it day by day, game by game, and prepared as if it was our last game. The teams are so different, you have to believe that you can do it,” shared Sergachev.
Demonstrating resilience and unity, the Spirit continue to come together as one in the heart of Saginaw, not letting the setbacks get to them. Led by head coach Chris Lazary, the Spirit will aim to be the third Memorial Cup host to lift the trophy in the last 10 years.
OHL alumnus and Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer, who won the Memorial Cup as head coach of the Kitchener Rangers in 2003 and then hosted the tournament five years later, recalled the pressure of his Memorial Cup experience.
“Hosting the Memorial Cup was a lot of pressure, but it was welcomed pressure. The entire community got behind the event; it was spectacular. Our group rallied in Kitchener and ended up losing in the 2008 final. Not only was I proud of the group, but I was proud of the city. Everyone dug in,” DeBoer recounted.
One of four teams in the CHL to win 50 games this season, the Spirit are set to participate in their first-ever Memorial Cup after a historic year for the franchise. Rallying behind the Spirit, the city of Saginaw and its surrounding Bay area have united to support the team on their monumental journey to a hometown victory.
Practice on #MemorialCup ice just hits different pic.twitter.com/09Mef3D5xK
— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) May 22, 2024
“It’s phenomenal for the community and the city of Saginaw to be able to host a tournament like this,” said Spirit general manager Dave Drinkill. “I grew up in Ontario, so I followed junior hockey my whole life. With the U.S. teams in the OHL, the market’s growing, and it’s huge for our community. People are really embracing it.”
The 104th edition of the Memorial Cup, scheduled from May 23 – June 2 in Saginaw, Michigan, will also feature the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL, the London Knights, and the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL.
Who will hoist the #MemorialCup? 🏆@TSN_Sports drops the puck on the 2024 @CHLHockey championship from May 24 – June 2, beginning Friday with hosts @SpiritHockey vs. @MJWARRIORS at 7 p.m. ET on TSN. 🏒
🔗More info on @thelede_ca ➡️ https://t.co/oFN07kv9Uh pic.twitter.com/PYpgeLzi9z
— TSN PR (@TSN_PR) May 22, 2024
The first game of the 2024 Memorial Cup is set for Friday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT between the host Spirit and the WHL champion Moose Jaw Warriors.
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