Memorial Cup

[three dog night]

Halifax in the Quebec Final no back door in this year I think the last host to make it to the Leauge final was Mississauga.

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[buzzer beater]

Halifax in the Quebec Final no back door in this year I think the last host to make it to the Leauge final was Mississauga.

Are you suggesting they will beat Rouyn and be one of the three legitimate league champs ?

 

[three dog night]

Are you suggesting they will beat Rouyn and be one of the three legitimate league champs ?

It does not matter they made it to the final Missy did not win the OHL final that year.

 

[AttackSound]

With the Memorial Cup teams set for the Memorial Cup in Halifax,NS.

Guelph certainly wasn't the team I thought that would represent the OHL this season in the tournament but not the first time the underdog came out on top.

For the rest of the reps Halifax hosts are a given, Rouyn Noranda were saluted as the top club of the Q all year as rightfully so, and as of earlier this evening the Prince Albert Raiders who were the heavy favourites to represent the WHL at the tournament in NS.

I'm not familiar with the Q and W teams beyond checking standings updates throughout the season. But from what the final standings were at the end of the season the both the Q and W have the best statistical teams in the tournament this season.

Rouyn Noranda 119 points in 68 games
Halifax 102 points in 68 games
Prince Albert 112 points in 68 games
Guelph 90 points in 68 games

Out of the four teams stats on the year, Guelph would be the weakest statistical weakest club headed into the tournament this year. But as knowledgeable fans as we all are regular season stats can pretty much be thrown out the window now in the tournament, and be focused more on who can have the best 3 games in Halifax.

Guelph has flown under the radar all season long to get this far but the tournament is a whole different animal from the regular/post-season runs they had thus far. The Storm have a good team and solid depth but we the fans have to remember that regular season stats have no impact on this tournament and all playoff momentum has little to no impact on a team's fate like the regular season for most teams across the CHL it's all about adjustments and who can make the most of their opportunities early on who will win it.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I think the Raiders are the favorites to win this year and yes, Storm are the underdogs.
However... i have a feeling that the Storm are gonna win this year.

In their way to the OHL championship, Storm had to defeat 2 OHL/CHL powerhouses; London&Ottawa.
They were down 3-0 against Knights, but won 4 in a row, 2-zip down against 67's, won 4 in a row.

Now the other 3 might have more depth and better players but Storm top 6: (2 D-men, 4 F)
Suzuki,Durzi,Ratcliffe,Samorukov,Toropchenko,Schnarr can give any teams/fans their moneys worth of hockey

 

[TuckerFan1]

Halifax in the Quebec Final no back door in this year I think the last host to make it to the Leauge final was Mississauga.

I believe Quebec made it to the finals vs Rimouski in their host year in 2015.

 

[WillardJFredricks]

I'm hoping it comes down to Rouyn-Noranda vs. Prince Albert. It would be cool to see the #1 and 2 teams go at it for the title.

 

[youngblood10]

Halifax in the Quebec Final no back door in this year I think the last host to make it to the Leauge final was Mississauga.

Did you just redefine what a back door host is??

If you don't win your league you have back doored in period. Doesn't matter if they get swept in round 1 or lost game 7, triple OT in the final. Other wise known as the optics. And here is why...

Because the other 2 finalist in the other leagues don't get that same courtesy of not winning their league & competing in the Memorial Cup tournament. Therefore they have backed in.

 

[HockeyPops]

Hopefully Guelph doesn't again decide to lose the first 2 or 3 games before turning it on...

 

[three dog night]

Did you just redefine what a back door host is??

If you don't win your league you have back doored in period. Doesn't matter if they get swept in round 1 or lost game 7, triple OT in the final. Other wise known as the optics. And here is why...

Because the other 2 finalist in the other leagues don't get that same courtesy of not winning their league & competing in the Memorial Cup tournament. Therefore they have backed in.

Nope they didn’t

 

[EON]

Did you just redefine what a back door host is??

If you don't win your league you have back doored in period. Doesn't matter if they get swept in round 1 or lost game 7, triple OT in the final. Other wise known as the optics. And here is why...

Because the other 2 finalist in the other leagues don't get that same courtesy of not winning their league & competing in the Memorial Cup tournament. Therefore they have backed in.

I have to disagree here. I think making it to your league final qualifies not being a back door, as if Halifax had won, Rouyn-Noranda would have gone to the Memorial Cup anyways as the QMJHL runner up.

 

[youngblood10]

You guys are just making up definitions. If you don't win your league you have entered the tournament via the selection process and not by any other metric.
Doesn't matter the optics, if it's a host team or a runner up, how or when they lost etc...

No league title = a team that has benefited from being the host team or playing in the host league. Aka back dooring.

This isn't even debatable.

 

[OHLTG]

If Halifax wasn't hosting, they wouldn't be going. That's back-door, by definition. Windsor was the same way in 2017. That being said, they're talented enough to win, as was Windsor, so all bets are now off.

 

[4 Bobby ORR]

Hopefully Guelph doesn't again decide to lose the first 2 or 3 games before turning it on...

If it is 3 they won't be able to turn it on.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

If Halifax wasn't hosting, they wouldn't be going. That's back-door, by definition. Windsor was the same way in 2017. That being said, they're talented enough to win, as was Windsor, so all bets are now off.

So who hosts in the Q since the host made the final and faced Rouyn Noranda? Maybe the Q should have just not played the final both teams get lots of rest. It's all about perception nobody would have said Vancouver losing in game 7 of the WHL final and hosting the Memorial Cup was back door hosting same with Mississauga back in 2011. Just because you say it doesn't make it true.

 

[OHLTG]

If you don't win the league, that's backdoor. That's how Halifax got in. That's how Windsor got in. That's how any host that doesn't win the league gets in. There's nothing wrong with that; you're still in and still (likely) a great team. I don't know what the issue is.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

If you don't win the league, that's backdoor. That's how Halifax got in. That's how Windsor got in. That's how any host that doesn't win the league gets in. There's nothing wrong with that; you're still in and still (likely) a great team. I don't know what the issue is.

Even if Halifax won the league they would be the "HOST".

 

[OHLTG]

Yep, and the team that lost would have been "back-door." This season, it'll be a helluva tournament just like most other seasons.

On that note - if anyone is going to the tournament, especially for the first time, soak it all in. It's one of the best CHL experiences you can have!!

 

[Thebeastoftheeast]

As a Halifax Mooseheads fan I was visiting in hopes of getting some insight into our Sunday Funday competition, the Guelph Storm. Yes, we are there courtesy of the back door but we did make it to the league final against the best Q team since our 2013 Halifax team which won it all led by Nathan Mackinnon.

And Halifax did beat Drummondville in six and they were #3 in the nation and in most years that series would have been a President's Cup final caliber series.

For those who are coming as visiting fans of Guelph welcome to Halifax!

 

[woofer]

As a Halifax Mooseheads fan I was visiting in hopes of getting some insight into our Sunday Funday competition, the Guelph Storm. Yes, we are there courtesy of the back door but we did make it to the league final against the best Q team since our 2013 Halifax team which won it all led by Nathan Mackinnon.

And Halifax did beat Drummondville in six and they were #3 in the nation and in most years that series would have been a President's Cup final caliber series.

For those who are coming as visiting fans of Guelph welcome to Halifax!

Halifax indeed! Spent time in my earlier years there on business and a summer vacation on the Cabot Trail. So wish I could go back for the Mem Cup. Last time was the one in Missy Gerard Gallant won with his Seadogs. To anyone out there who has never been to what is probably the hardest championship to win in any sport....do it! It's a solid week of nothing but hockey all week along with meeting great people who are passionate about our Game. Back door...front door or up through the window via the fire escape....who cares in a season of unprecedented upsets....NHL....Tiger....anyone can take this one. Thanks for the post BOTE and may the best team win!

 

[GensBrandon]

Halifax in the Quebec Final no back door in this year I think the last host to make it to the Leauge final was Mississauga.

Nope. Quebec Remparts in 2015.

 

[PanniniClaus]

I have to disagree here. I think making it to your league final qualifies not being a back door, as if Halifax had won, Rouyn-Noranda would have gone to the Memorial Cup anyways as the QMJHL runner up.

I agree with you. also not sure why it matters much.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Now that we have bickered over backdoor.

Anyone have a likely lineup for Guelph Sunday? I plan on attending the Guelph/Moose game.

 

[AttackSound]

Now that we have bickered over backdoor.

Anyone have a likely lineup for Guelph Sunday? I plan on attending the Guelph/Moose game.

Ratcliffe-Suzuki-Entwistle
Stevenson-Schnarr-Hawel
Gogolev-Ralph-Toropchenko
Roberts-Commisso-Chayka

Samorukov-Durzi
Gordeev-Phillips
Hanley-Lalonde

Anthony Popovich
Nicole Daws

That is the Storm's last lineup as of the OHL championship game against Ottawa. I can't see them changing that lineup thus far in the season most teams generally don't mess with success. Guelph's top line is a beast size skill and firepower.

They however are not just a one line team though Halifax has their work cut out for them, Toropchenko is a monster on skates and is a beast he can create fits for teams with his physical play and powerful strides.

Don't count out Guelph's top lines they can grind out goals and make quick work of teams who don't create their own space. Out of all of the Storm's top 6 Nate Schnarr has to be one of the most underrated players on this Guelph team. After watching Owen Sound and Guelph play each other 8 times a season for the past 3 seasons there are not very many holes in Guelph's lineup. If Guelph has one flaw it is there goaltending is average good but average and can be rattled easily if pounced on opportunities Popovich is steady in net but is not brick wall he's had a good post-season for the Storm but from watching him play over the seasons if the opposition peppers him early and often and Daws is a decent backup for the Storm but isn't a number one.

Hope this gives a bit of an insight on the Storm for the Memorial Cup.

 

[woofer]

Thanks for that one AttackSound….did not catch any Stormy games but watched a tight match in Kelowna in January with Raiders vs Adam Foote's Rockets....both teams were very quick moving the puck fast and smart...definitely not counting Guelph out after they finished off the 67's....Go Storm!