The 99th Memorial Cup saved the best for last

WINDSOR — Good things do come to those who wait.

Until Sunday, the 2017 Memorial Cup had been devoid of suspense and there had been little in the way of competitive hockey.

To the delight of those who have been following the 99th junior championship closely, that changed in a big way in the final.

An all-Ontario Hockey League championship game had been the wish of many.

The host Windsor Spitfires, ousted in the first round of the OHL playoffs by the London Knights, completed a perfect tournament with a 4-3 victory over the Erie Otters on Sunday night. Windsor went 4-0 after having the benefit of six weeks to rest and recover.

The game was enthralling from start to finish, with great chances and saves at both ends. The building, which hadn’t been raucous even during earlier Spits games in the tournament, was more than that. Fans, all 6,519 of them, got their money’s worth and responded in kind. Good timing on the first sellout of the year at the WFCU Centre.

The winning goal came at 5:07 of the third period when Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Jeremy Bracco, who was sharp all night, set up Aaron Luchuk, who then waited a split second before beating goaltender Troy Timpano.

Point shots

That’s three Cups in nine years for the Spits, who won in 2010 and 2009. That’s dynasty-esque. But it doesn’t seem right that a team that didn’t win a playoff series won the Cup, does it? … Before the first goal, by Bracco at 16:07 of the opening period, Spits defenceman Mikhail Sergachev hit the post and Timpano made a point-blank save on Graham Knott … There was controversy with the goal by Erie’s Warren Foegele that gave the Otters a 2-1 lead at 5:35 of the second. Foegele clearly re-directed a Dylan Strome pass behind Windsor goaltender Michael DiPietro with his left skate, but after a review, the goal stood … Strome came to play in his last junior game, adding a goal and hustling to make some smart defensive plays. Based on what we’ve seen here, only an injury suffered in training camp likely would keep Strome out of the Arizona Coyotes’ lineup next season … Also among the solid impressions this week: Bracco, Taylor Raddysh and DiPietro … The 100th Memorial Cup will be held in Regina from May 18-27, 2018.