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Rockets Lose Memorial Cup Opener 4-3 in Frantic Finish

The Kelowna Rockets opened the tournament in the home rink of the Quebec Remparts. The host team Remparts, lost in the QMJHL League Champion finals, to the Rimouski, Océanic in game seven of double overtime.

The Remparts struck first with a blast by Nikolas Brouillard at the 5:18 mark, he scored on a delayed penalty call. Brouillard from the top of the circle, cross ice, top corner, blocker side of Jackson Whistle.

Quebec outshot Kelowna 11 to 9 in the first frame in a fairly wide open twenty minutes of hockey. Both goaltenders making big saves, World Junior gold medal winner, Zachary Fucale with an almost impossible save on Dillion Dube. Whistle with two huge saves on Anthony Duclair.

In the second, it was the Remparts adding to their score. Vladimir Tkachev put on a clinic in the corner, then passed it to Matt Murphy at the point who put it at the net past the screened Kelowna goaltender.

The Rockets finally hit the board with a shorthanded marker late in the second period. Nick Merkley one-timed a Cole Linaker pass with both of them in on Fucale.

The second period ended 2-1 with Kelowna outshooting Quebec 7-6 in the middle frame. At the end of the second period, both Olivier Roy, and Leon Draisaitl, were charged with ten minute misconducts.

The Remparts scored their own shorthanded goal early in the third at the 2:08 mark making it 3-1.

Draisaitl did not get back into the game until there was only 9:21 left in the third having to wait for a stoppage to get back into the game.

The first power-play goal of the game came off the stick of a Josh Morrissey blast from the blue line, Gage Quinney tipped it in to make it 3-2 with just over seven minutes to play.

With the Rockets pressing late in the third Whistle was called upon to make a huge save on a clean breakaway by the Remparts.

The Rockets went for it with 1:33 to go, putting Whistle on the bench for the extra attacker, but it was the Remparts that scored into the empty net.

Bad discipline by the Remparts provided Kelowna with one more chance on the power-play. Draisaitl scored once to make it 4-3 with 36 seconds to go. Madison Bowey with a big chance at the end, but Fucale with the glove out of nowhere made the save with 1.2 seconds to go.

The final score was 4-3 Remparts. Kelowna went 2 for 4 on the man advantage while Quebec was 0 for 5. Shots favoured Quebec 31-28.

Joe Gatenby in front of 1st star, Zach Fucale. (photo credit Aaron Bell/ CHL images)

Nick Merkley with one goal and one assist was named the game's third star. Fucale the first star and Duclair second. (photo credit Aaron Bell/ CHL images)

The Remparts last won the Memorial Cup in 2006 under the direction of rookie head coach, Patrick Roy. They beat the league champions, the Moncton Wildcats who had knocked them out in the league championship.

The Kelowna Rockets won the Memorial Cup in 2004 as the host team by defeating the WHL league champions, the Medicine Hat Tigers. Kelowna was knocked out in the Western Division final in game seven by the Everett Silver Tips.

Some of the Kelowna fans that made the trip to Quebec - photo credit - contributed



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