KAMLOOPS | For Remparts it was 1eh June 2022. For the Thunderbirds, it was 12 days later, but the feeling was the same: that of a huge void caused by a defeat which meant that their ultimate goal would not be achieved.
The Red Devils have talked all season about this heartbreaking semifinal loss to the Shawinigan Cataracts and the motivation it gave them. This desire not to relive this feeling of emptiness.
Stevens Leblanc / Le Journal de Quebec
On June 1, 2022, the Remparts saw their championship goal disappear in the semifinals against the Shawinigan Cataracts.
On the other side of the continent, in Seattle, it was the same. The team was just two wins from making the Memorial Cup tournament last season, but lost in six games to the Edmonton Oil Kings.
It is Sunday that these two teams will have the opportunity to finish the work that started a year ago.
“What we experienced last year was a source of motivation throughout the season and it still is today. The mission for our group is for us to win our league to be where we are today, but the ultimate goal was to win the very last game,” summed up Patrick Roy on Saturday.
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
That ultimate goal has been with Roy since the start of the season, and it’s all he’s thinking about right now. The Remparts held their last training session on Saturday, which could very well be the last one he led as head coach of the Remparts.
But he will think about that later.
“I don’t have time to think about it. We started something five years ago and we got there. We would have liked to win two in a row and unfortunately we know what happened last year. Here we are at the end of the season match and I can tell you that Jacques Tanguay and I would like to get our hands on this trophy.
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
A fire that burns so much among the Thunderbirds
In the opposite camp, it is the same. The Thunderbirds laid the groundwork for what they wanted to accomplish early in the season.
“We were two wins away from winning, so there was only 12.5% of the work to be done,” said Seattle forward and Montreal Canadiens prospect Jared Davidson. It was a heartbreaking loss and we entered this year with the intention of winning and improving 12.5% more every day. We were so ready last year and we don’t want to relive this feeling of emptiness.
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
For head coach Matt O’Dette, the fire and desire not to relive the bitterness of such a heartbreaking loss still burns internally.
“Last year, maybe people didn’t expect us to go as far as we did. On the other hand, it does not change the fact that we experienced a void when we lost. This year we will complete the work. We had a target on our backs all year and it was satisfying to win our league championship, but it would be even more satisfying to win the Memorial Cup.
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
The Remparts, the best team
To win the Memorial Cup, the Thunderbirds must defeat the one team they failed to beat in the round robin: the Remparts.
“To win a championship we have to beat them. That’s the reality. They’re in the final and to win you have to beat the best. So far they’ve been the best team in the tournament. To bring the trophy back, is the team we have to beat.