Memorial Cup Notebook: Oshawa vs. Kelowna for national bragging rights

QUEBEC – The 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup final is set.

The Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals, who advanced directly to the final after going 3-0 in the round robin, will face the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets.

The Rockets used a four-goal outburst in the second period to break a 1-1 tie and beat the host Quebec Remparts 9-3 in the tournament semi-final on Friday night.

Justin Kirkland scored a pair of goals and assisted on two others for the Rockets while Leon Draisaitl and Josh Morrissey had three-point nights with a goal and an assist each. Rourke Chartier chipped in with a pair of goals for Kelowna.

Draisaitl’s goal opened the second period scoring just 17 seconds into the frame and started the ball rolling.

“That was big for our confidence,” Kirkland said of the second period. “Leon’s first shift on the power play there got everybody’s emotions going and that’s huge at the start of a period. That just set us up for a good period.”

Chance Braid, Cole Linaker and Tyson Baillie had a goal and an assist each for Kelowna.

Goaltender Jackson Whistle stopped 20 shots.

Kelowna finished the round robin with a 1-2 record, which included a tournament-opening loss to the Remparts one week ago.

The team has felt improvements have been made since the start of the tournament and it’s been a trend for the WHL champs in the playoffs.

“That’s been our story all along in the playoffs,” Rourke Chartier said. “We’ve been getting better every game. We played a great game for the most part for the full 60 minutes and we’re looking forward to Sunday for sure.”

Adam Erne had a goal and an assist while Dmytro Timashov and Anthony Duclair also scored.

“You couldn’t ask for any more (from the team),” said Erne. “We left it all out there. The scoreboard might not shot it but we gave it every last drop we had. It’s pretty incredible what guys were playing through and they just wanted to put their bodies out there. You can’t ask much more.”

Remparts goaltender Zachary Fucale made 35 saves.

Remparts Coach Philippe Boucher said pulling Fucale came up but the veteran netminder wanted to stay in the game.

“I was ok with that,” Boucher said. “He’s a competitor and he’s had a decorated junior career. I’m proud of what he did and I’m ok that he wanted to stay in there.”

Saturday will mark the tournament’s lone off-day as the Canadian Hockey League holds its annual awards banquet.

Sunday’s championship game is set for 7 p.m.

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OTHER GAMES

May 22: Quebec vs. Kelowna
May 23: Oshawa vs. Rimouski
May 24: Oshawa vs. Quebec
May 25: Kelowna vs. Rimouski
May 26: Kelowna vs. Oshawa
May 27: Rimouski vs. Quebec
May 28: Rimouski vs. Quebec

(Photo: Kelowna Rockets forward Justin Kirkland celebrates one of the Rockets nine goals in a 9-3 semi-final win over the Quebec Remparts at the 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Quebec City. Aaron Bell/CHLImages)