Windsor wins the 2009 Memorial Cup

QUEBEC CITY P.Q. — With 4-1 win over the Kelowna Rockets, the Windsor Spitfires made history by becoming the first team to win the Memorial Cup after winning the tie-breaker game. Windsor scored three goals on their first three shots of the game and did more than enough damage to put their opponent into an near impossible task the rest of the game.

Adam Henrique had one goal and one assist, and defenseman Mark Cundari helped with two assists were the third and second stars of the night. Taylor Hall was named player of the game and was named the Memorial Cup Tournament MVP. Despite coming to Rimouski with the etiquette of the favored team in the tournament, Windsor rapidly found themselves in big trouble having lost the first two games of the tournament and had to win three straight games just to stay alive. Windsor surprised everyone in the arena, including their opponent, the Kelowna Rockets, by scoring the first three goals of the game so quickly on their first three shots on goal. Greg Nemisz created an offensive turnover when he picked the puck from Cody Almond and found Adam Henrique, who opened the scoring when he beat Mark Guggenberger with a wrist shot from the high slot at 3:22. The Spitfires added their second goal 2:30 minutes later when Dale Mitchell, who scored three times in the tiebreaker game, beating the Kelowna goaltender with a shot from right harshmark. Than, with Kelowna right winger Kyle St. Denis in the penalty box, Spitfires defenseman Rob Kwiet beat Guggenberger with a wrist shot from the blueline at 7:11. The three goals scored were within a 3:49 apart, and were more than enough for Rockets Head Coach Ryan Huska to make a goaltending change. Adam Brown, who didn’t see any action in the playoffs, played his last game on March 15 against the Kamloops Blazers. Unfortunately for Brown, he didn’t finished that game by being ejected after getting involved in a fight. Kelowna came back and played much better in the second period. Colin Long took a rebound shot from Jamie Benn and beat Andrew Engelage for the only Rockets goal of the game. Ryan Ellis re-established Windsor’s three goal lead with a laser of a slap shot that Brown didn’t have a shot at stopping at 12:46. The Spitfires closed the door on Kelowna after playing a very effective defensive system to finally making history. The Rockets lost two games in the tournament, both against Windsor. Tournament Award Winners Ed Chynoweth Trophy (Top Scorer) – Jamie Benn Memorial Stafford Smythe Trophy (Most Valuable Player) – Taylor Hall George Parsons Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike) – Yannick Riendeau Memorial Hap Emms Trophy (Outstanding Goaltender) – Marco Cousineau All-Star Team G – Marco Cousineau, Voltigeurs D – Tyler Myers, Rockets D – Ryan Ellis, Spitfires F – Patrice Cormier, Oc é anic F – Taylor Hall, Spitfires F – Jamie Benn, Rockets Shots on goal: Windsor 28, Kelowna 22 Power play: Windsor 1-7, Kelowna 1- 3 Three stars of the game: 1-Taylor Hall (WND.) 2-Mark Cunderi (WND.) 3- Adam Henrique (WND.) Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com