MasterCard Memorial Cup: Bibeau, Mantha own spotlight in tourney opener – Friday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 Star - Antoine Bibeau, Val-d'Or Foreurs

Et la première étoile… the first star… the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Antoine Bibeau got a good preview of what he can expect if he ever makes the NHL, mainly, facing over 50 shots on a weeknight game in Southern Ontario. Ho hum. Bibeau, the QMJHL playoffs MVP, continued his dominant spring and earned a 51-save shutout in the tournament opener against the London Knights, the second highest scoring team in the Ontario Hockey League.

Bibeau, though, impressed in his first start in the MasterCard Memorial Cup. Val-d'Or were the tired team going into the first game of the tournament, and it showed. The Foreurs were out-shot 20-9 in the first period and 33-14 through two, but you couldn't get a handful of rice past Bibeau. He parried several scoring opportunities on odd-man rushes during the first period, and stood tall against Bo Horvat on a penalty shot in the third, which preserved the Val-d'Or 1-0 lead.

What struck me was how calm Bibeau looked throughout. He had to make some athletic saves in the first period, but as the minutes and shots faced increased, Bibeau showed no sign of fatigue. His last difficult save, gloving down a Nikita Zadorov shot through a screen late in the third, was made without flinching.

No. 2 Star - Anthony Mantha, Val-d'Or Foreurs

Le deuxième étoile, da second star… the Foreurs basically dressed two players for Game 1, Bibeau and Detroit Red Wings first rounder Anthony Mantha. Mantha scored his 82nd goal of the season (counting the regular season and playoffs) in his 82nd game, continuing an impressive goal-a-game rate. Late in the first period, Mantha broke the scoreless tie by intercepting a pass in his defensive zone, and finishing off a setup from captain Samuel Henry at the other end of the ice.

In the early going, London took it to the Foreurs, out-shooting and out-chancing the Q champs decisively, but Val-d'Or held their own with Number 8 on the ice. Moments after his goal, Mantha rung a shot off the post. While Bibeau was the big story, Mantha was the only shooter who managed to beat Anthony Stolarz at the other end. Stolarz was no slouch, stopping 27 of 28 shots in the opener.

No. 3 Star - Max Domi, London Knights

Regrettably, the OHL doesn't track individual shots on goal totals, but I would not be surprised if the Phoenix Coyotes first round pick from last June wound up cracking double digits in shots for. People may point to London's long layoff, not having played competitive hockey since the second round of the OHL playoffs, as a reason for the defeat, but the reality is that the Knights were dangerous all night, mostly when their top two lines were on the ice.

Domi began the night on a line with Chris Tierney and Ryan Rupert, but saw some shifts later in the game with his old pal Horvat as the Knights pressed late in the game. Horvat's penalty shot was set up by a perfect pass by Domi to find Horvat in space.

Game Grade: C-minus - There isn't much to discuss in a 1-0 game, unfortunately. While the first period was fast-paced, Val-d'Or managed to sit on their lead for the remaining 40 minutes and left it in the hands of their goalie. London played well, but the game lacked in drama, so hopefully the Storm and Oil Kings bring their A-games Saturday night to give the television audience a show.