Friday, May 15, 2009

Myers sharp in opener

At the Memorial Cup in Rimouski, recently-inked Tyler Myers had a goal, two assists, and a game-high +3 as Kelowna defeated the host Oceanic, 4-1. His #2 star effort from the back end anchored a dominant Rockets attack as the two clubs opened the 91st gathering of Canadian junior's best. The towering defenseman started things off with his even strength goal at 6:33 of the first period. Myers skated around a forward before snapping a 30-foot wrister against the grain through traffic to beat Maxime Gougeon just inside the short-side pipe. The Rockets brought the heat early, firing 14 of the game's first 16 shots. At 4:33 of period two, Myers set-up the eventual game winner when his power play one-timer pinballed off Marc-Andre Bourdon's skate to a waiting Jamie Benn. The game's #1 star, Benn matched Myers with a goal and two assists. Just 1:19 later, Myers would draw an assist as Ian Duval settled a beautiful saucer pass from Mikael Backlund on the fly and roofed the puck over Gougeon's left shoulder. The Oceanic goalkeeper was busy all night, stopping 38 shots in defeat to earn the #3 star. The Nics were rusty after not playing since April 22, and facing a shutdown player like Myers didn't help their cause. The blueliner was playing the body, disrupting shots and flow with his supreme reach, and finding teammates and shooting lanes seemingly on every shift. Strong and cool, it was pleasant to see a Sabres property dump an oncoming checker with a forearm shiver after making a play like he did in the first period. In the third, he enjoyed a post-whistle Greco-Roman session with 6'5 Keven Veilleux to earn offsetting roughing minors, after which he politely declined the invitation to "go" with the frustrated Nics forward. A steady controlling presence, it's Myers' mobility that makes him a special player to watch. Midway through the second period, he retrieved a puck behind his net and galloped past everyone down the left side into the Nics end. You just don't see 6'8 skaters as fleeting as the WHL playoff MVP is. Those catching the 19-year old this evening for the first time on national television should probably get used to it.