KNIGHTS STRIKE FIRST AT MEMORIAL CUP
Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak had big multi-point efforts to open the 98th MasterCard Memorial Cup as the London Knights skated to a commanding 6-2 win over the host Red Deer Rebels in front of a capacity crowd at the ENMAX Centrium.
Feeding off the energy and enthusiasm inside a jam-packed building, the hometown Rebels came out with jam in the opening shifts of the first, taking the body to the Knights who registered just two shots on goal through the game’s opening 10 minutes.
Overage veteran Adam Helewka beat London’s Tyler Parsons just beyond the nine minute mark of the opening frame, but couldn’t beat iron as his shot glanced off the crossbar with the capacity crowd rising to their feet.
The Knights got things going on the power play at 13:51 as 45-goal man Aaron Berisha ripped a quick release inside the far post past Rylan Toth. Assists on the goal went to Tkachuk and Marner as London’s man advantage didn’t take long to get activated.
London struck again less than two minutes later as rapid puck movement in the offensive zone resulted in Dvorak getting time and space to beat Toth under the arm from the high slot at 16:39.
The Knights rounded out the first period scoring on Dvorak’s second with Marner and Olli Juolevi drawing assists once again.
London continued to click in the second as Marner and company got back to work in the second half of the frame.
Marner took a feed from Dvorak before beating Toth over the shoulder as he came in off the top of the circle, giving the Knights a 4-0 lead.
Goals from Victor Mete and Marner’s second of the night pushed London ahead 6-0, silencing what had previously been a rambunctious ENMAX Centrium.
Rebels captain Luke Philp would give the Red Deer faithful something to cheer about in the dying seconds of the second period, tipping a Colton Bobyk point blast past Parsons in the London crease to narrow the gap to five headed into the third.
The Rebels inched closer on the man advantage at the midway point of the third. Helewka stepped into a one-timer from the top of the circle on a feed from Haydn Fleury to beat Parsons across the crease at 9:35.
Trailing 6-2, the Rebels wouldn’t be able to gain any further ground as a pair of desperation saves from Tyler Parsons helped the Knights close out a big win to open the 98th MasterCard Memorial Cup.
The London win marks the eighth time in the last 10 years that the visitors have opened the MasterCard Memorial Cup with a win over the host club.
The two clubs have a day off on Saturday before Red Deer returns to action against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Sunday while London is off until Monday when they take on the WHL champion Brandon Wheat Kings.
