Wow!What a finish between two fantastic teams.
The Medicine Hat Tigers are Western Hockey League Champions but the Vancouver Giants were equally as good.
It's just a shame that one team had to lose in game seven - especially in double overtime.
While the first couple of games of the series didn't live up to expectations between two powerhouses that appear to have little in the way of flaws, what we saw in game 6 and in a tremendous seventh and deciding game was nothing short of outstanding.
Both teams fought to the bitter end and showed why both are front-runners to capture the Memorial Cup which begins Friday in Vancouver.
I applaud both teams for putting on a great show which makes you proud to be apart of the Western Hockey League.
Matt Keetley is pictured on the left. The overage goaltender was named the series MVP.
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What a great run it's been for Willie Desjardins and the Medicine Hat Tigers.The quiet and sometimes standoffish coach won't wow you with his interviewing skills but he knows something about coaching.
Desjardins deserves alot of credit for helping the Tigers win 2 WHL Championships in the last four years.
But to think how the Tigers at one time missed the playoffs for 5 straight seasons from 1997 until 2002 before finally getting into the post season in 2003. Willie was the key in putting the 'Tiger Train' back on the tracks.
Desjardins has guided this Tiger team to 4 consecutive 40+ win seasons bring back the feeling of being the 'King of the Hill' like this franchise was in the late 80's with back-to-back WHL titles in 87 and again in 1988.
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I can hear it now.
People are going be verbally bash the Vancouver Giants now that they have failed to win the league title.
Sound familiar Rockets fans?
It's not right.
This Giants team is tremendous and showed this season that they are an elite team that had as good a shot as the Tigers of winning the league title.
Yes they technically get the bye to the 2007 Memorial Cup because they are the hosts, yet the Giants deserve to be there.
The Kelowna Rockets were bashed in 2004 for failing to win the league championship yet capturing the Memorial Cup by failing to lose a game.
If the Giants do the same as hosts, many will discredit them for the victory. But like the Rockets in 04 the Giants are a special team and one to contend with when the tournament begins Friday night at Pacific Coliseum.
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I made the prediction on this blog before the WHL final even started and I'm sticking with it.
I said the team that loses the championship final will win the Memorial Cup.
My knowledge of the teams out of the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec League are limited, but surely they can't be as good as these two teams?
Yes the Vancouver Giants will win the 2007 Memorial Cup by beating...the Medicine Hat Tigers in an all WHL final.
I can feel it, and frankly I'd love to see it!
If it happens it would mark the first time that two WHL teams would meet in the Memorial Cup final since the Swift Current Broncos beat the Saskatoon Blades at the 1989 Memorial Cup.
4 comments:
I LOVE when you say your knowledge is limited!!
Any team that can knock off the Sudbury Wolves has to be considered the favorite! HAHA!Okay, I'm kidding a little but after watching Plymouth for 6 games in the OHL final, one thing is certain about the Whalers...they love the physical game! That should have them matching up well against the Giants.
To me, Lewiston is the sleeper in the Mem Cup! They won 50 games this year and gave up under 200 goals in the wide open Q!! That say's something. Jonathan Bernier is the real deal between the pipes and has to be considered the best goaltender in the tourney. He will be Canada's goalie at next years WJHC.
It's really hard for me to predict a team from the QMJHL will pull it out, but you heard it here first!
Isn't that what this blog is all about - honesty.
I could come on here and make it sound like I know everything about the 'O'and the 'Q' but I won't. All I can tell you is I am disappointed that Sudbury won't be in Vancouver when the tourney starts.
I didn't know much about the Wolves either but loved the fact that they would be a darkhorse.
Now that the Wolves have been eliminated I can't cheer for either of those two leagues.
I hope the Giants or the Tigers win it - if they have anything left that is!!
I'm not 100% Convinced that the WHL Will win the Cup this year. After doing some stat crunching, Pymouth lost a lot less games through the season and playoffs combined than the Tigers, Giants and MAINEiacs. They scored alot more, and were scored on less than 2 of the other teams. It's going to be hard to beat this Plymouth team...Who i think will take the cup out East
It's tough to say who will win it when we haven't seen head-to-head play between the teams other than the Hat and Giants.
I think home ice will be huge for the Giants and a healthy Cody Franson will only help the cause.
While many wonder if these two teams will have anything left for the M.C, it just goes to prove my theory that winning the league title is a HUGE accomplishment while winning the M.C is just icing on the cake.
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