Blazers, Remparts battle to open Memorial Cup on TSN
Published
The Memorial Cup gets underway on Friday with the host Kamloops Blazers taking on QMJHL champion Quebec Remparts.
The Remparts enter the four-team tournament as QMJHL champions after defeating the Halifax Mooseheads in six games to win the Gilles-Courteau Trophy.
Quebec was led by Columbus Blue Jackets prospect James Malatesta who recorded 14 goals and 20 points in 18 playoff games, including five game winners, to win the Guy Lafleur Trophy as QMJHL playoff MVP.
Carolina Hurricanes prospect Justin Robidas led the team in scoring during the playoffs with 11 goals and 27 points while overage forward Theo Rochette also added four goals and 21 points.
St. Louis Blues prospect Zachary Bolduc led the way offensively during the regular season, recording 50 goals and 110 points in 61 games. He added 11 goals and 19 points in 18 playoff games.
The Remparts have been riding William Rousseau between the pipes and he has a 16-2 record with a .917 save percentage and 2.20 goals-against average in the playoffs.
He led all QMJHL goaltenders in the regular season with a 35-11-4 record with a .908 save percentage and 2.22 GAA to win the Jacques Plante Trophy as the goalie with the best goals-against average.
Quebec last reached the Memorial Cup Tournament in 2015 and haven't won since 2006.
The Blazers ended their WHL season after losing to the eventual champion Seattle Thunderbirds in six games during the semifinals, but their status as host automatically grants them a spot in the Memorial Cup Tournament.
Dallas Stars prospect Logan Stankoven led all WHL players in scoring in the playoffs with 10 goals and 30 points in 14 games and was followed by teammate and Anaheim Ducks prospect Olen Zellweger who had 11 goals and 29 points.
Stankoven also led the way offensively during the regular season with 34 goals and 97 points in 48 games.
Dylan Ernst steered the ship in net for the Blazers, registering a 10-4 record in the playoffs with a .913 save percentage and 2.57 GAA. Ernst led all WHL goaltenders in the regular season with 38 wins and had a .906 save percentage and 2.69 GAA.
The last time the Blazers made the tournament was also the last time they hosted, defeating the Detroit Junior Red Wings 8-2 in the final to take home the 1995 Memorial Cup.