2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup: Red Deer Reflections
Like all MasterCard Memorial Cup championships, the 2016 edition hosted by the City of Red Deer featured unique highlights that will be forever ingrained in Canadian Hockey League history.
From the moment the Memorial Cup arrived via helicopter into Canotaph Plaza to when London Knights co-captains Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak received it from Canadian Hockey League President David Branch, the festivities in Red Deer were outstanding, leaving those in attendance with memories that will last a lifetime.
The London Knights skated to a 3-2 overtime victory, hoisting the Memorial Cup for the second time in franchise history on Matthew Tkachuk’s goal 7:49 into the extra frame on Sunday. The Knights wrapped up their championship season with a 17th consecutive victory over a Rouyn-Noranda Huskies club that pushed them to the brink in the final game of 2015-16.
Marner led the event in scoring with 14 points (2-12–14), the most since Hull Olympiques forward Guy Rouleau tied a tournament record with 16 points in 1986. Marner earned the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as tournament MVP, leading the Knights to victory as he and Dvorak capped off 20-game point streaks.
ICYMI: @Marner93 #MCMemorialCup Stafford Smythe honour completed MVP quartet for 1st time since 2000 @BRichards_1991 pic.twitter.com/kz5ol0haXX
— CanadianHockeyLeague (@CHLHockey) May 31, 2016
Red Deer fans had the opportunity to see their hometown Rebels defeat an old foe, eliminating the Brandon Wheat Kings from the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup with a 2-1 overtime win on Evan Polei’s game winner. The win marked redemption for the Rebels, who were eliminated from the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship Series by the WHL champion Wheat Kings.
A total of 58,750 fans passed through the turnstiles at the ENMAX Centrium over the eight game tournament, an average of 7,343 fans-per-game.
Red Deer thanks @MCMemorialCup @Rebelshockey @CHLHockey @TheWHL @OHLHockey @QMJHL for opportunity you gave our city! pic.twitter.com/f1sfuk26P3
— Tara Veer (@TaraVeer) May 30, 2016
In addition to the action on the ice, fun and festivities at Fan Fest and the Molson Hockey House offered a wide range of activities and entertainment prior to and following games over the course of the tournament.
Canadian acts ranging from the country twang of Brett Kissel and former NHL star Bryan Trottier to the celtic rock of The Mud Men and sounds of Finger Eleven took centre stage at the Molson Hockey House, providing tunes well into the night.
#RedDeer proving that Good Times Really DO Start Here #MCMemorialCup pic.twitter.com/TMYTUSk12Z
— 2016 MC Memorial Cup (@MCMemorialCup) May 28, 2016
A big contributor to the action on and off the ice in Red Deer, Rebels Owner, General Manager & Head Coach Brent Sutter took great pride in hosting the prestigious event.
“We’re certainly proud of hosting the MasterCard Memorial Cup,” he said. “The teams here were all top notch and I’d like to thank everybody right down through our own organization to the co-chairs of the event, the volunteers and committees. They’ve done an outstanding job and I truly believe that we’ve run a first class event here.”
Sutter says that the Rebels organization and the MasterCard Memorial Cup Host Committee aimed to put on an event that would make the nation proud.
“Everyone here has been respectful, that’s what we are, that’s what our country is all about,” he said. “Hosting the MasterCard Memorial Cup isn’t an easy task. There’s a tremendous amount of work and organization that’s involved in it but we held nothing back. We wanted people to come away from here remembering Red Deer as an outstanding Memorial Cup host.”
In partnership with MasterCard, the Red Deer Host Organizing Committee, and the Canadian Hockey League, fans in attendance joined forces and raised more than $214,000 to be donated to the Canadian Red Cross in support of the Alberta Fires Appeal to support those affected by the recent wildfires in Fort McMurray.
Thanks to everyone who has donated in person & online! Donate now & we’ll match it: https://t.co/Shb7zS1M0I #FortMac pic.twitter.com/vHc8Md322v
— MasterCard Canada (@MasterCardCA) May 26, 2016
It was the first MasterCard Memorial Cup in the province of Alberta in 42 years and after such a great experience in Red Deer, it certainly won’t be a 42-year wait for the next one!
The Canadian Hockey League would like to thank the City of Red Deer, the Red Deer Rebels organization, the MasterCard Memorial Cup Host Committee, the participating teams and most of all, the fans, for making the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup one to remember!
Thank you @CityofRedDeer, @Rebelshockey, @MCMemorialCup HOC, partners, media, volunteers & fans for a job well done! pic.twitter.com/cfTUwxnDPf
— CanadianHockeyLeague (@CHLHockey) May 31, 2016
2016 MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP SIGHTS AND SOUNDS:
