Memorial Cup Round-robin: Remparts 4, Rockets 3

The Remparts won 4-3 against the Kelowna Rockets, but it could easily have been 8-3. The Remparts had countless great opportunities to score, Anthony Duclair having three or four breakaways himself, but couldn’t cash in any of them.

Whoever is their powerplay strategist, Marc Bergevin should pay close attention. They pass the puck around with celerity, there’s a lot of creativity, lots of potency in that attack.

I said earlier today that I wasn’t a big fan of Leon Draisaitl, but after seeing him play tonight, I’m at least a medium fan now. Good looking player, reminded me of Vincent Damphousse for some reason, skates with power and authority, but great puck control, dekes, passes. Again though, discipline was an issue for him, he got tangled up with a Rempart after the horn sounded at the end of the second period, and he got a ten-minute misconduct for his troubles. Losing him for that long in a tight game may have been the determinant factor.

Speaking of discipline, the Remparts had it sewn up after an Adam Erne empty-netter, leading 4-2 with a little over a minute left, but then they tried to goon it up, rub the Rockets’ nose in it I guess. Marc-Olivier Roy and Massimo Carozza were pains in the butt all night, slashing and jawing in scrums after whistles. This time the Remparts got caught, and drew two minor penalties.

Sure enough, the Rockets pulled their goalie and quickly scored on a 6-on-3. A game that was already won turned unnecessarily into a nailbiter for the Remparts.

One man-crush which abated somewhat was Madison Bowey, the silky smooth skating defenceman with a big right-handed shot, he starred at the World Juniors, loved how he played. He had a difficult night though, turning the puck over, missing on passes. He may have been rusty after a long layoff, the Rockets having dispatched their opponents in the WHL final over a week ago.

Solid, solid night by Zachary Fucale, he made some excellent saves, seemed in control. Good to see him back on his game after a difficult end of the regular season for him.