2013 Memorial Cup: On host-team advantages, endless hype and the nature of the beast

SASKATOON, Sask. — Isn't a pity / isn't it a shame / no one ever told the boys / the Memorial Cup / is an unfair game.

The Saskatoon Blades' win over the Halifax Mooseheads breathed new energy into the MasterCard Memorial Cup, creating the possibility of a second tournament in a row where there could be a four-way tie for first two-thirds of the way through the round-robin. It's great for galvanizing interest of the tournament; there was a bounce in Saskatoon's step on Monday. Yet at the same time, one is under no obligation, other than for the sake of going along to get along, to believe one win confers legitimacy. Buster Douglas kayoed Mike Tyson, too.

It's only relevant, though, when it comes to how the outcome of the event is regarded. For coaches and players, this is the business they have chosen.

"That's something we don't talk about inside," Mooseheads coach Dominique Ducharme said on Monday, after his team lost in regulation time for only the eighth time in 87 games and the world, remarkably, stayed on its axis. "That's for media or fans who talk about who should have won or who's winning, who should be going first or who should be going where in the draft. That's something we don't control. That's the way we've been thinking all year. We lost the game, it was against Saskatoon, and we're looking for a way to improve on the two games we've played.

"As far as I can see, we're still here," Duchame added. "I think maybe Saskatoon, because they lost in the first round [of the WHL playoffs], people make it a big deal. They were out for 51 days or whatever. I don't know what happened. I wasn't here when they lost in the playoffs. They prepared. They had 51 days to get ready. They're here, they're part of the tournament and they can play. If we play them again, it's going to be another battle."

Point being, though, how one evaluates the result should take into account the built-in advantages that come to the hosts. Don't take that as saying the Blades do not belong, but the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

The Memorial Cup, as greater minds have stated, is a different beast from playing four best-of-7 rounds to win a league championship. It's not necessarily a question about energy. Halifax played only 17 playoff games in the QMJHL. Yet the Blades have had much more time than even the typical to get in tournament mode, never mind the three league champs.

"It's totally different, this tournament," London Knights captain Scott Harrington said. "It's so stressful, going through [league playoffs], when you finally win your league and you celebrate and then you have to regroup. It's definitely different. You have to clear the slate, win or loss, and get ready for the next one."

It might be easier to do that when that's all you've been thinking about for nearly two months. Plus the Blades were built for the short haul — ride two-time Russian world junior goalie Andrey Makarov and try to grind down opponents with a lineup that includes 18 players in their age-19 and overage seasons. That could certainly influence the on-ice product. Would a team that went through three additional rounds of bumps and bruises have been as ready, willing and able to play tough (but clean) with Nathan MacKinnon as the Blades did on Sunday?

"I don't mind that stuff," MacKinnon said Sunday. "They played a physical game.

"We've had good rest," added the 17-year-old who has four goals in two games. "It's the 90th game of the year, it's a little different for both sides."

Point being, the tournament demands an awful lot out of players at the end of their season. One team has so much more in the tank.

"Conditioning level is real important," Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken said. "When you see the pace of these games it's unbelievable. There's something about this tournament that brings out the best in people."

It's not meritocratic, though. The fascinating part is that once the host team banks a win, the consensus opinion rapidly does a 180. One day Saskatoon was suspect. The next it was a contender in full. Again, the truth is probably in the middle. The same probably goes for evaluating the 17-year-old Mooseheads stars MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and goalie Zachary Fucale.

One should not stake an opinion of any of the youngsters on how they play in the tournament, since the prep time is a wild card. That goes for either pumping their tires or being flabbergasted that Halifax actually lost. Talking to a player, even the boilerplate "how do you think they will respond" question seems wrongheaded.

"They've dealt with a lot of attention on the ice," Mooseheads co-captain Stefan Fournier said on Monday. "Yesterday, the whole team came up flat. It wasn't Nathan or Jo or anyone. Not that that's acceptable but what's important is how we move on. They'll do the same things. They have great work ethics and when you work hard, that's when good things happen."

The format is dictated by dollars. Mewl all you like about how the host-team format perpetuates a two-tier league since only a select group of teams play in venues and locations suitable for the tournament. It ain't changin'. For the Mooseheads, they have to learn to work within a format that sets up better for someone else. Not fair, but that is junior hockey.

If the Mooseheads fall short, it will probably be put down to their relative youth. That is fine, although people should not make it the only factor. Their experience rests on how they adjust to a different game.

"You cannot be forcing things that are not there," Ducharme said. "At the same time, you need to remain patient, you need taking things that other teams are giving you. we got sucked into their game a little bit. That's part of experience of being here and facing new teams. We need to take the two games and look at it."

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet. Please address any questions, comments or concerns to btnblog@yahoo.ca.