2004 Memorial Cup

The 2004 Memorial Cup occurred May 15-23 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia. It featured the host team, the Kelowna Rockets as well as the winners of the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League which were the Guelph Storm, Gatineau Olympiques and the Medicine Hat Tigers respectively. The Kelowna Rockets would be the eventual winners, and would become only the third host team to win without winning their league as well. (The first time was in 1983, when the Portland Winter Hawks won, the second time was in 1999 when the Ottawa 67's did it.) Kelowna defeated the Olympiques who made their second straight Memorial Cup final, but as with 2003, the 'Piques lost out. Kelowna also participated in the 2003 tournament as WHL champions but did not advance to the final, and would participate as WHL champions in the 2005 Memorial Cup as well.

Fans lined up outside Prospera Place for hours to witness the 2-1 victory for the Kelowna Rockets in the championship game at the MasterCard Memorial Cup. Every game of the tournament was sold out and an enthusiastic host city cheered wildly as their home team claimed their first Memorial Cup victory. The Rockets are the first team since the Ottawa 67's in 1999 to win the Memorial Cup on home ice and the victory marks the first time the host team has gone undefeated in the tournament.

Justin Keller scored the game winning goal late in the third period as the host Kelowna Rockets won their first ever MasterCard Memorial Cup by defeating the QMJHL Champion Gatineau Olympiques. Despite numerous chances on both ends of the ice through the first two periods of play, neither team could find the back of the net until the third. With six and a half minutes gone in the third and Gatineau on the power-play, Jean Michel Daoust slapped a pass to Guillaume Fournier, who tipped it past Kelly Guard for his first of the tournament. Less than four minutes later, Kelowna tied things up after a rebound from a Brett Palin slap shot went straight to Randall Gelech who chipped it in past Gatineau goaltender David Tremblay for his third of the tournament. Kelowna had a chance to take the lead just seconds later but found the post instead.

With 13:38 left to play in the period, Keller streaked in from the right side and tucked the puck between the pads of Tremblay, bringing the largest-ever crowd to attend Kelowna's Prospera Place to their feet. The Canadian Hockey League was proud to announce more than 1.2 million viewers tuned in to Rogers Sportsnet and RDS coverage of the championship tournament, including 410,000 for the final game when the Kelowna Rockets defeated the Gatineau Olympiques to win the 2004 MasterCard Memorial Cup.

Schedule
All times local (UTC -8)

Winning team
Michal Blanar, Troy Bodie, Mike Card, Blake Comeau, Ryan Constant, Kyle Cumiskey, Darren Deschamps, Simon Ferguson, Randall Gelech, Josh Gorges, Kelly Guard, Joel Henituik, Brent Howarth, Justin Keller, D. J. King, Josh Lepp, Joni Lindlof, Tyler Mosienko, Mark Olafson, Cam Paddock, Brett Palin, Chris Ray, Kevin Reinholt, Tyler Spurgeon, Stephen Sunderman, Stewart Thiessen, Patrik Valcak, Nolan Waker, Shea Weber, Derek Yeomans. Coach: Marc Habscheid

Scoring leaders

 * 1) Doug O'Brien, GAT (3g, 5a, 8pts)
 * 2) Jean-Michel Daoust, GAT (1g, 6a, 7pts)
 * 3) Nick Fugere, GAT (4g, 1a, 5pts)
 * 4) Yanick Seidenberg, MH (1g, 4a, 5pts)
 * 5) Randall Gelech, KEL (3g, 1a, 4pts)
 * 6) Chris St. Jacques, MH (3g, 1a, 4pts)
 * 7) Clarke MacArthur, MH (1g, 3a, 4pts)
 * 8) Cam Paddock, KEL (1g, 3a, 4pts)
 * 9) Shea Weber, KEL (1g, 3a, 4pts)

Goaltending leaders

 * 1) Kelly Guard, KEL (0.75gaa, .971sv%)
 * 2) Kevin Nastiuk, MH (2.77gaa, .888sv%)
 * 3) David Tremblay, GAT (2.94gaa, .897sv%)
 * 4) Adam Dennis, GUE (3.00gaa, .848sv%)

Award winners

 * Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (MVP): Kelly Guard, Kelowna
 * George Parsons Trophy (Sportsmanship): Josh Gorges, Kelowna
 * Hap Emms Memorial Trophy (Goaltender): Kelly Guard, Kelowna
 * Ed Chynoweth Trophy (Leading Scorer): Doug O'Brien, Gatineau

All-star team
 * Goal: Kelly Guard, Kelowna
 * Defence: Doug O'Brien, Gatineau; Shea Weber, Kelowna
 * Forwards: Jean-Michel Daoust, Gatineau; Clarke MacArthur, Medicine Hat; Randall Gelech, Kelowna