Memorial Cup starts Friday

Dave Cameron admits he's feeling better, but he's not quite there yet.

"I'm still not allowed to play with anything sharp," cracked the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors head coach on Thursday, as the four head coaches in the Memorial Cup met the media on the eve of the tournament.

Cameron's Majors lost to Owen Sound in game 7, in overtime, to fall in the Ontario Hockey League final. The Majors four losses were by a goal, three of the losses in overtime.

"Anytime you lose a game 7 it takes a while to get over it," said Cameron. "We are over it and very fortunate to have a chance to eliminate some of that hurt."

The Majors open up the tournament against the Saint John Sea Dogs, arguably the best team in the Canadian Hockey
League this season, when the event starts Friday. Owen Sound and Kootenay round out the tournament.

"These 3 guys all won the championships on the road in overtime and I lost it at home in overtime," smiled Cameron. "I'm the odd duck in this thing."

The Majors have a difficult task to start the event. Even though Mississauga went 53-13-2 during the season, and led the Ontario Hockey League in goals and gave up the fewest they are not the favourites in this event.

The Sea Dogs have four of the top 20 rated prospects for the NHL draft including centre Jonathan Huberdeau (# 3 on Central Scouting) and is a team that went 58-7-3 during the regular season.

"I think our team is going to be fine," said Sea Dogs coach Gerard Gallant. "They have battled hard and they deserve to be here and I think they'll be ready."

Owen Sound (46-17-5 this season) will face WHL champion Kootenay (46-21-5) on Saturday.

"We are very excited to be here," said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch. "We feel we belong in the competiton. We kind of jelled as a team as the season progressed. We were able to play our best hockey right now in the playoffs."

That's an understatement. The Ice have won 15 of the last 16 playoff games they have played and beat powerhouses Saskatoon, Medicine Hat and Portland in the playoffs and could make the claim they are the favourites here.

"It will come down to who is playing the best hockey at the appropriate time," said Knoblauch. When asked what team is the favourite he replied, "I would like to say it's certainly not us."

Mark Reeds has played in 3 Memorial Cups and as coach of the Attack based in Owen Sound (population 22,000) he knows what a title would mean for a "very starved" community.

"It's an unbelievable feeling and tremendous opportunity for these young individuals and a tremendous opportunity to bring a championsihp to a very starved commuity of Grey-Bruce."

"It's huge mainly for your players," said Cameron. "Your teams don't get here unless your teams have a focus and committment. I know how dedicated they are and how hard they've worked."

Let the games begin.