EuroCan Cup

[Terry]

www.eurocancup.com/

Anyone going to this?

Hint, hint.

[Brae]

Hint taken. And as it stands right now I am only going to be able to make it to one game. Been working more then usual so people will owe me lots of favours come the start of the season LOL

[Terry]

It's nice to have a tournament style warm-up to the season against some European club teams. Jussi Markkanen is one of the goalies for Swiss club EV Zug.

You can also watch the entire series online for 25 bucks or $5 for 1 day or $7 for the final.

As for the Knights, MAP is playing for them alongside Schremp and Gagner.

[Terry]

Actually, I don't you'll be able to watch the games online, Brae, if you're working. I'm not sure there's a "on demand" set-up to watch afterwards or not.

[jayman74]

lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Hockey/2009/08/29/10662281-sun.html

Sounds like Schremp and Gagner are lighting it up together. 3 points each against Jussi and Zug.

[Brae]

Aug 29, 2009 12:24:45 GMT -5 @jayman74 said:

lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Hockey/2009/08/29/10662281-sun.html

Sounds like Schremp and Gagner are lighting it up together. 3 points each against Jussi and Zug.

It was a really good game. Not your usual August "friendly". The game got quite nasty at times. Gagner: 1G 2A, Schremp: 2G 1A.

Gagner looks good, Schremp should get a better look from the Oilers this year. They play well together.

Bertuzzi is on the London roster now, as of last night's game. But Friday's was the only one I could make it to. London is in Monday's final.

The European fans are nuts! "Can We Keep Them?". 50+ person conga line at a hockey game was a new one for me.

Last night's game was won in OT. Gagner with 4 Goals including the OT Winner. Beyond that I havn't heard much (Assists ect...)

I will say though, my friend's new Crackberry takes some nice pictures.

A few with Oiler connections.

Gagner



Gagner Sr. (no joke)


Schremp just before he puts one past Jussi.


#44 Schremp, #33 Brandon Prust (Flamers, London Boy & Former Knight) #23 Eric Nystrom (Flamers), #26 Dan Richmond (Hurricanes, Former Knight)


Schremp, London player of the Game.

[jayman74]

Nice pics. Knights won 7-4 final, Gagner player of tourney??? Is that right? Hard to find stats or info on that shit man. He's gonna kick ass this year and I knew that when he was the only guy shedding tears about losing last season. Souray didn't take it good either, but he takes it out on more peoples faces than Gagner does.

[Brae]

Sept 1, 2009 1:57:51 GMT -5 @jayman74 said:

Nice pics. Knights won 7-4 final, Gagner player of tourney??? Is that right? Hard to find stats or info on that shit man. He's gonna kick ass this year and I knew that when he was the only guy shedding tears about losing last season. Souray didn't take it good either, but he takes it out on more peoples faces than Gagner does.

I would assume Gagner was player of the tourney. I may have to watch London News tonight.

[url=http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Hockey/2009/09/01/10697931-sun.html
]http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Hockey/2009/09/01/10697931-sun.html[/url]

Too much Gagner for Zug
Tue, September 1, 2009

EURO CAN CUP HOCKEY: Just when it seemed like the Swiss club was climbing back into the game, the Edmonton Oilers forward scored to clinch the title for the London Pro Knights.
By RYAN PYETTE

Sam Gagner has magic in his hockey stick.

The Edmonton Oilers know it.

The London Knights have never forgotten it.

But former NHL goalie Jussi Markkenen and Swiss club EV Zug teammate Josh Holden found out the hard way.

Gagner sealed an undefeated Euro Can Cup for the London Pro Knights star by scoring the devastating title-clinching goal midway through the third period of a 7-4 win before about 3,000 last night at the John Labatt Centre.

"Backhand toe drag," the 20-year-old Londoner called the lightning-quick move for his tournament-leading eighth goal.

Before the terrific tally, valiant Zug had battled back from a four-goal hole to cut the lead to one. But after Gagner's heroics and at the end of playing five games in six nights, they were gassed.

"For a moment, I forgot about who I was up against," former Vancouver Canuck Holden said with a wry grin. "He gave me the toe drag and then a little wink afterward. That's why he's doing it at the NHL level.

"He's a very good player."

Gagner's family is in the process of moving from their London home but he won't soon forget this week.

He reunited with old pals past and present. He got to hit the ice again with his 44-year-old father Dave -- just like they did during their time with the Knights and farther back on their backyard rink in Oakville.

He played his part in raising $20,000 for the Shoot for a Cure spinal injury research -- a charity close to his heart after a good childhood friend suffered such an injury playing minor hockey.

"It was such a fun week and I think every guy on this ice here feels the same way I do," he said. "So many people did so much work to put this on. Pat (organizer and former Knights assistant Pat Curcio) and The Gooch (Kerry Goulet), they put in a lot of time and effort to get this thing off the ground and all the credit goes to them for getting the guys here.

"I just want to maintain what I did here on the ice like I have all summer and go into camp and hopefully on to a strong year (for the Oilers)."

Curcio and Goulet put the four teams on the ice. Former Knight Brandon Prust, such a big part of London's 2005 Memorial Cup win, deserved a big assist for helping shape the winning roster.

He worked his connections to spread the word of the Euro Can Cup and produced hard-working Calgary Flames teammate Eric Nystrom, then big Todd Bertuzzi, who joined up late but had a goal and three points in the final.

"Ny and I went golfing with Bert on Thursday in Kitchener and tried to twist his arm," Prust said. "Through hockey, you meet some people along the way and come to be pretty close with some of the guys. I told Ny all the London stories and he's been here before but he wanted to come back again and check it out for himself.

"We got to hang out again, went out for dinner and breakfast and stuck to the routine. Being back in the dressing room with the guys, it was like no time had passed.

"But I told Sammy and (Rob) Schremp and Pou (Marc Pouliot, also with the Oilers) that we're not friends anymore.

"Now we're enemies (in the Battle of Alberta)."

Bertuzzi, who looked strong on his skates, won't be a part of that Calgary-Edmonton rivalry this time.

The 34-year-old, who has more NHL kilometres on him than tattoo ink on his arms -- and that's saying something -- is back with the Detroit Red Wings.

"I don't skate all summer and usually don't go on the ice for another two weeks so this is early for me," he said. "I wasn't in Detroit for very long the first time but I know well enough what kind of organization I'm joining and how they always give themselves the chance to win. They're first-class all the way."

Gagner highlighted the tournament all-star team at forward along with Zug's Holden and Damien Brunner.

Knight Danny Richmond and Zug's Mick DuPont were named top defencemen while London's Adam Dennis -- the top goalie in the '05 Memorial Cup -- earned the same honour this week. He stopped 34 shots in the Euro Can final.

[Brae]

Me again LOL

Touney is over & NOW they add visable links to daily blogs & game stats!

eurocancup.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/sam-gagner-is-the-star-of-the-london-knights-euro-can-cup-team/

Amazingly enough after the game I was talking to a man and his teenaged daughter who not only came from Edmonton to see Gagner but also stuck around to buy his game worn autographed shirt.

Keep an eye out for something like this at Rexall



If they do it again next year I may look at buying a Tournament Package (I think this year they were around $150 for all games). I didn't make an effort to trade shifts and so on as, honestly I was expecting boring "don't get hurt" hockey.

[jayman74]

Like I said, Sammy's gonna kick some fuck anus this season!!