Memorial Cup Notebook: Generals win national title

QUEBEC – It was quite the send-off for le Colisee.

The final hockey game to be played at the famed rink saw the Oshawa Generals beat the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets 2-1 in overtime in the championship game of the 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup.

Anthony Cirelli scored at 1:28 of overtime to give the Generals their first national title since 1990.

“Words can’t describe what I’m feeling right now,” Cirelli said. “I’m just really excited and proud of the team. We worked hard all year long for this. This was our goal, winning the Memorial Cup and now that it’s over I’m just excited. It’s unbelievable.”

Generals goaltender Ken Appleby made 37 saves and was named second star of the contest.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but this is crazy,” said Appleby. “It’s what we’ve strived for the whole year. To win the last game of the year is just amazing.”

“We played for each other,” Appleby also said. “Nobody was selfish and we stuck together all year and proved people wrong all year. It was just a great year.”

Generals coach DJ Smith spoke of Appleby hanging in as a backup before finally getting a chance to start this season.

“He’s a fiery guy that stood there for three years and never complained and he was rewarded today,” Smith said.

Cirelli, who made the Generals this season as a walk-on, finished the night with both Oshawa goals.

Tomas Soustal had the lone goal for the Rockets while goaltender Jackson Whistle made 24 saves.

“I feel so good for these guys,” Smith said. “These guys gave me everything they had. You have to feel for Kelowna. They played a heck of a hockey game. That’s a very good hockey team over there and this could have gone the other way. Sometimes the bounces go your way when there’s that much character and that much stuff these guys sacrificed over three years.”

Cirelli called the game-winning goal a “blur.”

“It’s a blur to me right now,” Cirelli said of the game-winner. “I just remember (Chris) Carlisle put a nice shot on net there and I just put it in the empty net. After that I was just in shock because we won the Memorial Cup.”

Kelowna forward Leon Draisaitl was named the tournament MVP while leading the event in scoring with seven points in five games. Appleby was named the top goaltender while Rimouski’s Alexis Loiseau was named most sportsmanlike.

The tournament all-star team included forwards Michael Dal Colle and Michael McCarron of Oshawa and Nick Merkley of Kelowna, defencemen Ryan Graves of Quebec and Madison Bowey of Kelowna while Appleby was named the all-star team goaltender.

(Photo: The Oshawa Generals celebrate Anthony CIrelli's tournament winning goal in overtime. Aaron Bell/CHLImages)

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MEMORIAL CUP RECAPS

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

May 29: Kelowna vs. Quebec