Guelph drop third straight at the MasterCard Memorial Cup
By Dave Graham
The Gatineau Olympique scored early and often to knock the Storm out of the 2004 MasterCard Memorial Cup and back to Guelph.
The Guelph Storm are the first team to be eliminated from the tournament after losing 7-2 in a must win game against Gatineau.
It only took Gatineau a minute and twenty one seconds to open the scoring in the first period. Guillaume Labrecque capitalized on a loose puck in front of Storm goaltender Adam Dennis for his first goal of the tournament.
Gatineau didn’t stop there, finishing the first period up 4-0 with two goals from Labrecque, and a goal apiece from Christiane Laroche and Nick Fugere.
After the fourth goal, Guelph’s coach Shawn Camp replaced goaltender Adam Dennis, who surrendered four goals on six shots, with Danny Taylor.
Taylor wasn’t immune to the Olympique’s relentless offence either as the second period started much like first for Gatineau, surrendering a goal to make 5-0 just two minutes and five seconds in.
It was 6-0 before Guelph finally got on the scoreboard when Ryan Callahan drove hard to the net for his first goal of the tournament.
The score was a lopsided 6-1 heading into the third. Gatineau again scored an early goal to start the period, making it 7-1 just a minute and twenty six seconds in.
Guelph made it 7-2 with less than five minutes left in the game when Brett Trudell scored the Storm’s first power play goal of the tournament.
The game ended 7-2 with Gatineau moving on, and concluding a disappointing tournament for the Storm. Guelph’s loss also meant this would be the last game for their leader, Martin St. Pierre, in a Storm uniform. Guelph will have to wait until next year for another shot at the coveted trophy when the London Knights host the 2005 Memorial Cup.
“It was a shame to end the season this way,” said Storm head coach Shawn Camp. “We didn’t foresee this. Of all the things we prepared for in terms of adversity leaving the
tournament with a total of three goals was not one of them.”
“We just didn’t get out of the gate as we normally do and we were unlucky.”The next game of the 2004 MasterCard Memorial will be on Thursday when Medicine Hat faces the host Kelowna Rockets.
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