Tigers take command at Memorial Cup
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, May 22, 2007
How fitting.
Derek Dorsett was constantly jeered and ridiculed throughout by the Vancouver fans, who clearly were not about to forgive the Medicine Hat agitator’s transgressions during the WHL championship series. Several fans came to the game with derisive signs. One stating, “Dorsett, your’ mom wants her moustache back,” drew loud cheers from the Pacific Coliseum crowd when displayed on the big screen late in the second period.
Seconds later Dorsett scored to break a scoreless deadlock, and the Medicine Hat Tigers defeated the Vancouver Giants 1-0 in the final round-robin game of the Memorial Cup.
Vancouver had a chance to finish a perfect 3-0 in round-robin play and advance directly to Sunday’s championship game with a victory. However, the Giants turned in an uninspired performance, and it’s the Tigers who earned the bye.
Here’s some observations from Wednesday’s game, as well as a few other tidbits:
– Medicine Hat was a different team than when the Tigers visited Everett during the regular season. In that game Medicine Hat was without defenseman Kris Russell and Darren Helm because of the World Juniors. Those two add so much to the Tigers lineup.
– For a while it looked as though the Silvertips were here after all. In the third period, with a 1-0 lead, Medicine Hat sat on the lead and made no effort to score again. Everett’s been known to do that from time to time.
– Is Russell the smartest player in the league or what? Getting a good look at him Wednesday, it’s easy to see why he was named the league’s MVP, despite being a defenseman who measures in at just 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds. Every defensive play he makes is the right one, and every pass he makes is on the money to just the right guy.
– Medicine Hat forward Tyler Ennis may be my favorite player I’ve seen this season. When the Tigers visited Everett without Russell and Helm, Ennis was the player who stood out the most. Here’s an exciting gamebreaker with speed, skill and awareness, the full offensive package. Imagine my surprise when I looked down at the roster and saw he was a 1989-born player with a late birthdate who’s not eligible for the NHL draft until 2008. Tigers fans have themselves quite a treat for the next two or three seasons.
– Vancouver won’t be winning the cup they way it played Wednesday. Everett never saw Vancouver play a game this poor during the regular season, and the Tips still won all six meetings.
– The President’s Trophy, awarded to the WHL champion, has a new name. From here forward it will be named the Ed Chynoweth Trophy, in honor of the Kootenay Ice owner who’s been the alpha personality in the league for more than 30 years. It’s a fitting and timely honor for Chynoweth, who recently revealed he’s battling cancer.
– A pair of Silvertips are expected to be in Vancouver on Saturday. On the off day before the championship game the CHL is holding an awards ceremony during which Zach Hamill (top scorer) and Kyle Beach (rookie of the year) will be presented their trophies.
– Mr. Hockey has come to the Memorial Cup. Gordie Howe, arguably the greatest all-around hockey player who ever lived, was at Wednesday’s game and will continue to drop by. A public signing is scheduled for 1:30-4 p.m. Friday at Pacific Coliseum.
