Doyle: Thursday Memorial Cup Update 2

Memorial Cup 2009 is officially underway, practices have taken place and we're down to the wire before the opening game.

Colisee Rimouski is a little more than 40 years old. But it recently underwent a renovation to bring it a little bit more up to date. Private boxes were added and air conditioning was added as that is now a must-have to host the Memorial Cup. Picking up my media pass was early and I went into the rink to find the Windsor Spitfires on the ice. Besides being put through drills, one of the big things for many of the Spitfires was testing out the rink. Defencemen Harry Young and Rob Kwiet were among the group I saw trying to ring the puck around the boards from the left point, looking to see if there might be any strange bounces. Then trying a different angle resulted in the puck going off the outside of the net, and a shot from the point off the back boards ended up right back in the slot, and Kwiet made sure to point that out to Young.

The media centre is all set up for post-game press conferences and the assembled media to work. It is not a huge space but everything looks like it will be good. Right off the bat I notice the volunteers and staff on-hand are extremely friendly and welcoming.

The big question for media - what's in the bag? Each year at the Cup media are given a bag by the locals (except London 2005 where I never got one). There is that little bit of suspense to see what will be inside. This year, I see a Memorial Cup hat, a couple little chocolates, a small bottle of a maple sap alcoholic beverage, four golf balls, and a form letter from the Mayor of Rimouski welcoming people to the city.

The afternoon featured the first official event with the Meet the Coaches Press Conference. Among the discussion was whether Windsor should be considered the favourite going into this tournament considering their CHL ranking throughout the season. The Spitfires were the top-ranked team for most of the year, while the other top seed, Calgary, was eliminated in the WHL conference finals. "I don't know if there is any number one team in this tournament, we're all good teams obviously. To get this far we've all had success and had to beat some very good teams along the way," said Windsor President/Head Coach Bob Boughner. "With our team I think we just have to concentrate on what we do best, it's not a seven-game series it's a one-gamer here. We had some battles to get here and we're confident...but not too overconfident. We just have to focus on our own team and these kids are going to have the time of their life. It is a memory they are going to keep forever so we're excited to play."

A little bit of a comical moment came later in the presser when it was again asked "Who is the number-one seed, any coach can answer this." None of the coaches said anything and just looked straight ahead. Then Guy Boucher of Drummondville looked at Boughner, who was sitting to his immediate right. When Boughner looked back, Boucher looked away with a sly grin on his face like "I wasn't looking at you!"

"On paper we've heard Windsor is solid," added Boucher. "But I think it's one of these tournaments - it's a one-game deal. It's a seventh game every game and I think anybody can win, whether you've got injuries or not. If you're at your best that day and the other team is not, you're the favourite that day but the next day it's something different."

Memorial Cup coaches (L-R) Clement Jodoin (Rimouski), Bob Bougher (Windsor), Guy Boucher (Drummondville), Ryan Huska (Kelowna) gather for a photo opportunity in advance of the 2009 Memorial Cup in Rimouski, QC.

Another topic of discussion centered on the officiating and whether the teams from the OHL and WHL might have to adjust to a different style of referees that come from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Two of the four referees assigned to this tournament come from the Q. "It is something (the players) can't control so in such a short tournament if you are going to spend your time worrying about something that is out of your control then you are wasting your time," explained Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska. "I guess you have to play and play hard. You can't let a call or different rule, something that you are not used to effect how you are playing your next shift. You don't have time to worry about that and it makes no sense to waste your energy on something that is out of your control."

Boughner echoed those sentiments.

"I guess I could say I'm a little concerned. Hockey is hockey, I think you just have to get out there and play your systems and stay away from anything after the whistle and just play hard. Everything else will take care of itself and I'm not too worried about the refereeing. I'm just worried about our own team."

Notes: OHL referee Brent Holdsworth has been assigned to work his second straight Memorial Cup after being part of the officiating crew for last year's event in Kitchener. He is joined by WHL veteran Chris Savage, along with Marc Muylaert and Jean Hébert of the QMJHL. The linesmen are all from the Quebec League.

tdoyle@loosepucks.com