Curtis Lazar & Edmonton Oil Kings Win Memorial Cup

They did it the hard way, having to play in a semi-final game in which they played the longest game in tournament history (nearly 2 full games), but the Edmonton Oil Kings battled the heavily favored Guelph Storm and beat them to win the Memorial Cup.  So I guess the Edmonton Oilers (who own the Oil Kings) can do something right after all.

It was the second time in 3 years the Oil Kings had advanced to the Memorial Cup, losing in a tie breaker two years ago.  The win marks the first time since 2008 that a WHL team has been crowned the Champion and the Oil Kings snapped a string of three straight wins by the QMJHL.

The Oil Kings featured Ottawa Senators 2013 first round pick Curtis Lazar, as well as other first round picks Henrik Samuelsson (Phoenix Coyotes) and Griffin Reinhart (New York Islanders) as well as second round picks Tristan Jarry and Mitch Moroz.

Lazar was held pointless in the final, but it was Samuelsson having a career night, scoring two goals and adding 3 assists to lead the Oil Kings.

The Storm, who had a spot in this game clinched since last Tuesday, actually led the game 2-1 after 20 minutes, but the Oil Kings responded with 3 goals in the second and a pair in the third en route to the 6-3 win.

Another Ottawa 2013 draft pick, Ben Harpur, was on the losing end in this game, but he led the team with a +2 rating in the match.

A Memorial Cup ring is another feather in the cap of Lazar, who just might have played his last game in the CHL, with a spot on the NHL Senators roster there for the taking and many people expecting him to seize the opportunity.