2008 MSL Season Update

After a slow start to the 2008 Major Series Lacrosse season, the defending Mann Cup champion Peterborough Lakers are back to their winning ways. The Lakers started the season at 2-4 but since their 7-6 loss to the Brampton Excelsiors on June 12 at home, they have gone on to win five straight. With their recent win streak they have pulled to within two points of the league co-leaders Brampton Excelsiors and St. Regis Indians. Peterborough has seven games remaining, four of those against the two bottom dwellers, Barrie Lakeshores and Brooklin Redmen. They also have four games remaining at home where they are 4-1 so far this season.

The two teams above the Lakers in the standings seem to have a tougher road ahead as they each play four of their remaining games on the road and two against each other. Brampton might be seen to have the easier of the two schedules since the two games against St. Regis will be played at home and three of their remaining seven games are against the bottom two teams (Barrie and Brooklin). Other than the two road games against the co-leaders, St. Regis does not face Barrie anymore and only plays Brooklin once. Being on top at the end of the regular season is key for these teams as it should ensure they won’t face the defending champs until the final round.

The standings as of today is as follows:

Team -------- GP W L T Pts
Brampton ----- 11 8 3 0 16
St. Regis ------ 12 8 4 0 16
Peterborough - 11 7 4 0 14
KW Kodiaks ---- 9 4 4 1 9
Six Nations ---- 12 4 8 0 8
Barrie --------- 11 3 7 1 7

Brooklin ------ 10 3 7 0 6

Spokane is Chief in the CHL

The 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup concluded almost two weeks ago with the Spokane Chiefs, winners of the Western Hockey League, defeating the host Kitchener Rangers, winners of the Ontario Hockey League, 4-1 at the Memorial Auditorium. After a decent first period where both teams traded goals, Kitchener came out a little flat for the second period and fell behind 3-1 after two goals minutes apart. In the third period Kitchener returned to their offensive ways, peppering the Chiefs netminder with shots but the tournament's most valuable player, Dustin Tokarski, shut the door and held off the attack. An empty net goal by Jared Cowan late in the third period iced the victory for the Chiefs and the second straight Memorial Cup for the WHL.

The tournament all-star team consisted solely of players from the Rangers and Chiefs. Justin Azevedo, the winner of the Ed Chynoweth Trophy for the leading scorer in the tournament, and defenceman Ben Shutron were selected to the team from Kitchener while goaltender Tokarski, forwards Drayson Bowman and Mitch Wahl, and defenceman Justin Falk were named from the champion Spokane team. The Rangers Matt Halischuk was awarded the George Parsons Memorial Trophy for being the most sportsmanlike of the tournament.

Next years tournament will be held in Rimouski, Quebec.