It's almost impossible to build
a dynasty in junior hockey, because of the high rate of turnover of players,
but the Kamloops Blazers of the early 1990s came as close as anyone.
Coached by Tom Renney, the 1992 Blazers cruised to the best regular season
record in the Western Hockey League, with 51 wins and four ties in 72 games.
Their road to the Memorial Cup took them through Tacoma (winning
four-games-to-none), Seattle (4-2) and Saskatoon (4-3). The Memorial Cup
itself opened on a sour note for the Blazers, who dropped a 6-3 decision to
the Ontario Hockey League Champion Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in
round-robin play.
Kamloops rebounded for wins over the Quebec Major Junior League
representative from Verdun, and the host Seattle Thunderbirds, to earn a
berth in the semi-finals. |
An 8-3 romp over Seattle in the
semi's assured Kamloops of a trip to the championship game, and another shot
at the Greyhounds.
A closely-fought final came right down to the last minute of play, before
regular season and playoff scoring leader Zac Boyer was able to bury the
winning goal in a 5-4 Blazer's victory.
Other players of note on that championship team included netminder Corey
Hirsch, the Western Hockey League's Top Goaltender and Player of the Year,
as well as a first team all star in both the regular season and Memorial
Cup; Scott Niedermayer, who was a WHL and Memorial Cup first team all star,
and Memorial Cup Most Valuable Player; and blueliner Darryl Sydor, who
earned a berth on the WHL's first all star team. |
