Memorial Cup Opens With a Bang

Vancouver, BC – The 2007 Mastercard Memorial Cup is underway, below are the game summaries for the first four games…

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Tigers Topple Whalers – Created May 21/2007

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Vancouver, B.C. – The Medicine Hat Tigers evened up their record at the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament with a 4-1 victory over the Plymouth Whalers in round-robin action on Monday, May 21st, at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, B.C.
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rA dominant trio of Daine Todd, Tyler Ennis and Brennan Bosch combined for nine points in producing all four goals for the WHL Champion Tigers, who capitalized early and did not let the OHL Champion whalers back into the contest.
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rEnnis led the way with two goals – including the winner – and two assists, while both Bosch and Todd chipped in a goal and an assist.
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rThe win ensures the Tigers at least a place in a possible tiebreaker on Thursday. Medicine Hat lost their first round-robin contest with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the QMJHL Champion Lewiston MAINEiacs (1-1) on Saturday.
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rWith the defeat, the Whalers see their round-robin record fall to 0-2, having lost to the host Vancouver Giants (2-0) 4-3 in overtime in the tournament’s opening game on Friday, leaving them needing a win over the MAINEiacs on Tuesday to stave off elimination.
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rBosch opened the scoring only 1:57 into the opening period, swatting a rebound past Plymouth netminder Michal Neuvirth.
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rEnnis put the Tigers up 2-0 just before the five-minute mark of the first. The speedy 17-year-old skated into the Whalers zone and used the Plymouth defender as a screen to fire a shot through the legs of Neuvirth, chasing the Whalers’ goaltender in favor of Jeremy Smith.
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rEnnis struck again 1:43 into the second period with the Tigers on the power play, wristing a shot past Smith after Todd found him all alone to the left of the Whalers’ net.
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rThe teams traded goals before the third period was two minutes old with Todd converting on a power play for the Tigers, and James Neal – with his third of the tournament – getting the Whalers on the board.
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rTigers’ goaltender Matt Keetley stopped 23 of 24 shots to record his first Memorial Cup victory.
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rNeuvirth and Smith combined for 33 saves in a losing cause for the Whalers.
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rThe Whalers are back in action on Tuesday versus Lewiston in a must-win scenario for the Plymouth, Michigan team.
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rThe Tigers close out the round-robin portion of the tournament versus the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday in a rematch of the 2007 WHL Championship series
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rFor more on the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, visit the Memorial Cup Website.
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rGame Summary 

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Giants Rally for Win Over MAINEiacs – Created May 20/2007

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Vancouver, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants rallied for two third period goals to come from behind and defeat the Lewiston MAINEiacs 2-1 in round-robin action on Sunday, May 20th, at the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, B.C.
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rThe victory improves the Giants to 2-0 at the tournament – the host team defeated the OHL Champion Plymouth Whalers 4-3 in overtime in the opening round-robin game on Friday – and guarantees them at least a spot in the semi-final next Friday.
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rThe MAINEiacs see their record fall to 1-1 after the defeat. The QMJHL Champions won their opening game with a 3-1 victory over the WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday.
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rWacey Rabbit scored the winner 15:47 into the third period, chipping home a rebound at the side of the Lewiston net after setting up Michal Repik in the slot.
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rKenndal McArdle, the overtime hero in Friday’s win over the Whalers, knotted up the contest at 8:52 of the third frame with the Giants on the power play. The 20-year-old Burnaby, B.C., product pounced on a loose puck in the slot and beat MAINEiacs’ netminder Jonathan Bernier.
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rThe MAINEiacs opened the scoring early in the first period, with David Peron tipping a shot past Vancouver goalie Tyson Sexsmith, but were largely dominated by a relentless Giants’ forecheck for much of the second and third periods.
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rBernier, a Los Angeles prospect, turned aside 31 of 33 shots he faced, and was a major reason the MAINEiacs were able to hold the lead for two and a half periods.
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rSexsmith made 19 saves for the Giants, who held a 21-11 edge in shots on goal at the end of the second period.
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rThe 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament continues on Monday with round-robin action between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Plymouth Whalers (5:00pm PT; Rogers Sportsnet). Both teams are 0-1 after their opening round-robin contests.
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rThe MAINEiacs wrap up their round-robin schedule on Tuesday versus the Whalers.
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rThe Giants close out the round-robin portion of the tournament on Wednesday versus the Tigers in a rematch of the 2007 WHL Championship series, won by the Tigers. A win by the host Giants would send them through to the Championship game next Sunday.
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rFor more on the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, visit the Memorial Cup Website.
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rGame Summary
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MAINEiacs Tame Tigers – Created May 19/2007

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Vancouver, B.C. – Sebastien Piche scored the winner and Jonathan Bernier made 30 saves as the Lewiston MAINEiacs defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 3-1 in round-robin action on May 19th at Pacific Coliseum at the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament in Vancouver, B.C.
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rEric Castonguay and Stefan Chaput also scored for the MAINEiacs (1-0) – the QMJHL Champions – while Stefano Giliati chipped in two assists.
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rDarren Helm scored the lone goal for the WHL Champion Tigers (0-1), who out-shot the MAINEiacs 31-26, netting the game’s opening tally on a first period power play.
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rMatt Keetley stopped 23 of 26 shots he faced in a losing cause for the Tigers.
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rThe 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament continues on Sunday, May 20th with round-robin action as the MAINEiacs take on the host Vancouver Giants (1-0). (1:30pm PT; Rogers Sportsnet).
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rThe Giants defeated the OHL Champion Plymouth Whalers 4-3 in overtime on Friday, May 18th in the opening game of the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament.
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rFor more on the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, visit the Memorial Cup Website.
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rGame Summary
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Giants Edge Whalers in Overtime in Memorial Cup Opener – Created May 19/2007

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MCARDLE O/T HERO – Kenndal McArdle scored 5:06 into overtime to lift the Vancouver Giants to a 4-3 victory over the Plymouth Whalers in the opening round robin contest at the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament on Friday, May 18th at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, B.C.
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rThe 20-year-old Burnaby, B.C. product, wide open in front of the Whalers’ net, directed a centering feed from J.D. Watt past goaltender Michal Neuvirth to win the Memorial Cup opener for the host Giants (1-0) after failing to convert on a glorious opportunity only moments earlier.
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rMilan Lucic tallied twice and Spencer Machacek also scored for the Giants, who are making their second consecutive appearance at the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament finished third at the 2006 event in Moncton, NB.
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rJames Neal – with two – and Ryan McGinnis scored for the Whalers (0-1), the Ontario Hockey League Champions, who erased one goal deficits on three occasions in the contest.
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rGiants’ netminder Tyson Sexsmith stopped 30 of 33 shots fired his way to earn his first Memorial Cup win after backing up Dustin Slade at last year’s tournament. Neuvirth turned aside 33 of 37 shots in a losing cause.
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rThe Giants opened the scoring in a very physical opening period with Machacek redirecting a point shot from Brendan Mikkelson on a power play.
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rNeal drew the Whalers even with a power play marker 7:26 into the second period. The 19-year-old Canadian World Junior team veteran circled out into the slot and fired a quick wrist shot that beat Sexsmith on the short side.
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rLucic restored Vancouver’s lead under a minute later, wiring a wrist shot over Neuvirth’s shoulder from the slot after Michal Repik found him in front.
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rAfter Neal evened up the contest with his second power play marker, Lucic put the Giants ahead again in the second period, one-timing home a centering feed from Repik.
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rThe Whalers would draw even before the end of the second on their third power play goal of the game, with McGinnes’ point shot finding its way through traffic and past Sexsmith.
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rThe 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament continues on Saturday, May 19th with round-robin action between the WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers and the QMJHL Champion Lewiston MAINEiacs (1:00pm PT; Rogers Sportsnet).
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rFor more on the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament, visit the Memorial Cup Website.
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rGame Summary
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