View source for 1981 Memorial Cup

{{Short description|Canadian junior men's ice hockey championship}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox ice hockey tournament season
| title      = 1981 Memorial Cup
| image      = 
| image_size = 
| caption    = 
| num_teams  = 3
| dates      = May 3–15, 1981
| venues     = [[Windsor Arena]]<br>[[Windsor, Ontario]]
| host_team  = 
| games      = 7
| winners    = [[Cornwall Royals]] ([[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League|QMJHL]]) {{small|(3rd title)}} 
| attendance = 
| TV         = 
| prev_season = [[1980 Memorial Cup|1980]]
| next_season = [[1982 Memorial Cup|1982]]
}}
[[File:Memorial Cup at the 2015 championship.jpg|thumb|The Memorial Cup trophy|alt=Silver bowl trophy with two large handles, mounted on a wide black plinth engraved with team names on silver plates.]]

The '''1981 Memorial Cup''' occurred May 3–15 at the [[Windsor Arena]] in [[Windsor, Ontario]].  It was the 63rd annual [[Memorial Cup]] competition and determined the [[junior ice hockey|major junior ice hockey]] champion of the [[Canadian Hockey League]] (CHL).  Participating teams were the winners of the [[Ontario Hockey League]], [[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League]] and [[Western Hockey League]] which were the [[Kitchener Rangers]], [[Cornwall Royals]] and [[Victoria Cougars (WHL)|Victoria Cougars]].  Cornwall won their second Memorial Cup in a row and third overall, defeating Kitchener in the final game.

==Teams==
{{Location map+ | Canada
| width   = 500
| caption = [[Image:Black pog.svg|10px]] QMJHL Team [[Image:Green pog.svg|10px]] OHL Team [[Image:Red pog.svg|10px]] WHL Team [[Image:Blue pog.svg|10px]] Host City
| places  =

{{Location map~ | Canada
| lat_deg = 45.03
| lon_deg = -74.74
| mark = Black pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = right
| label = [[Cornwall Royals|Cornwall]]}}

{{Location map~ | Canada
| lat_deg = 43.45
| lon_deg = -80.47
| mark = Green pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = right
| label = [[Kitchener Rangers|Kitchener]]}}

{{Location map~ | Canada
| lat_deg = 48.43
| lon_deg = -123.36
| mark = Red pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = bottom
| label = [[Victoria Cougars (WHL)|Victoria]]}}

{{Location map~ | Canada
| lat_deg = 42.32
| lon_deg = -83.03
| mark = Blue pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = left
| label = [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]]}}

}}

===Cornwall Royals===
The [[Cornwall Royals]] represented the [[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League]] at the 1981 Memorial Cup. This marked the second consecutive appearance by Cornwall at the tournament. The Royals were the top team during the [[1980-81 QMJHL season|1980-81]] season, earning a record of 44-26-2 for 90 points and winning the [[Jean Rougeau Trophy]]. The Royals had the most potent offense in the QMJHL, scoring a league high 403 goals. Defensively, Cornwall ranked second as they allowed 311 goals. In the QMJHL quarter-finals, the Royals were nearly upset the [[Quebec Remparts]], however, Cornwall was able to win the series four games to three. The Royals were again pushed to a seventh game during the QMJHL semi-finals before finally defeating the [[Sherbrooke Castors]] four games to three. In the [[President's Cup (QMJHL)|President's Cup]] finals, the Royals had an easier time with the [[Trois-Rivières Draveurs]], winning the series four games to one to clinch the QMJHL championship and earn a berth into the 1981 Memorial Cup.

The Royals high-scoring offense was led by [[Dale Hawerchuk]], who led the league with 81 goals and 183 points in 72 games. Hawerchuk tied for the team league in post-season scoring, scoring 15 goals and 35 points in 17 games. Following the season, Hawerchuk was awarded the [[Michel Brière Memorial Trophy]] as the Most Valuable Player in the QMJHL, the [[Jean Béliveau Trophy]] as the Top Scorer in the League, and the [[Mike Bossy Trophy]] as the QMJHL's top prospect. Hawerchuk would be selected first overall by the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972-96)|Winnipeg Jets]] at the [[1981 NHL Entry Draft]]. [[Scott Arniel]] scored 52 goals and 123 points to rank seventh in league scoring. Arniel was also selected by Winnipeg during the [[1981 NHL Entry Draft]] with the twenty-second overall selection. [[Marc Crawford]] had a very solid season, 42 goals and 99 points in 63 games. Crawford also led the Royals with 242 penalty minutes. In the post-season, Crawford scored a team high 20 goals, and tied Hawerchuk for the team league in points with 35, in 17 games. [[John Kirk (ice hockey)|John Kirk]] joined the Royals after spending time with the [[Sudbury Wolves]] for the 1980-81 season. In 55 games, Kirk scored 47 goals and 98 points. Overaged player [[Gilles Crepeau]] scored 40 goals and 94 points in 61 games. On defense, [[Fred Boimistruck]] scored 22 goals and 70 points in 68 games to lead the Royals. In goal, [[Joe Mantione]] emerged as the starting goaltender late in the season and the playoffs, as he earned a 21-5-0 record with a 3.97 GAA and a .873 save percentage. In the post-season, Mantione was 12-3 with a 3.40 GAA and a .880 save percentage in 17 games. For the Memorial Cup, the [[Sherbrooke Castors]] goaltender [[Corrado Micalef]] was loaned to the Royals.

The 1981 Memorial Cup was the Roysls third appearance in team history. The club had previously won the [[1972 Memorial Cup]] and the [[1980 Memorial Cup]].

===Kitchener Rangers===
The [[Kitchener Rangers]] represented the [[Ontario Hockey League]] at the 1981 Memorial Cup. Despite finishing the [[1980-81 OHL season|1980-81]] season with a mediocre 34-33-1 record and earning 69 points, the Rangers were the top club in the Emms Division. The Rangers offense produced 321 goals, ranking the team in a tie for seventh in the twelve team league. Defensively, the Rangers allowed 320 goals, ranking them fifth in the league. In the Emms Division semi-finals, Kitchener defeated the [[Niagara Falls Flyers]] four games to two, with one game ending in a tie. In the Emms Division finals, the Rangers easily beat the [[Windsor Spitfires]] four games to zero, and having a game end in a draw. In the OHL finals against the top ranked [[Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds]], Kitchener stunned the Greyhounds winning three games to one, with three games ending in a tie. The series victory clinched the [[J. Ross Robertson Cup]] and earned a berth into the 1981 Memorial Cup.

The Rangers offense was led by sixteen year old rookie [[Brian Bellows]], who scored 47 goals and 116 points in 66 games. Bellows led the Rangers in post-season goals with 14, and added 13 assists for 27 points in 16 games. [[Jeff Larmer]] had a breakout season, as he led the Rangers with 54 goals, and finished second in team scoring with 108 points in 68 games. [[Grant Martin (ice hockey)|Grant Martin]] finished the season with 41 goals and 98 points. In the post-season, Martin scored a team high 29 points in 18 games. [[Joe McDonell]] led the Rangers defense with 15 goals and 65 points in 66 games. In goal, [[Wendell Young]] was the Rangers starter, as he earned a record of 19-15-0 with a 4.44 GAA in 42 games.

The 1981 Memorial Cup was the Rangers first appearance at the tournament in club history. A previous Kitchener-based team, the [[Kitchener Greenshirts|Kitchener Colts]], lost in the final round of the [[1923 Memorial Cup]].

===Victoria Cougars===
The [[Victoria Cougars (WHL)|Victoria Cougars]] represented the [[Western Hockey League]] at the 1981 Memorial Cup. The Cougars were the top team in the WHL during the [[1980-81 WHL season|1980-81]], setting a league record with 60 wins, and earning 121 points, the second highest total in WHL history, as the club won the [[Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy]]. The high scoring Cougars scored a league best 462 goals, while their defense also ranked first as they allowed a league-low 217 goals. In the West Division semi-finals, Victoria swept the [[Spokane Flyers (junior)|Spokane Flyers]] in four games. In the division finals, the Cougars stayed red hot, defeating the [[Portland Winter Hawks]] four games to zero, to advance to the WHL finals. In the final series against the [[Calgary Wranglers (WHL)|Calgary Wranglers]] for the [[Ed Chynoweth Cup|President's Cup]], the Cougars narrowly defeated the Wranglers four games to three to clinch the championship and a berth into the 1981 Memorial Cup.

The Cougars offense was led by [[Barry Pederson]], who in 55 games, scored 65 goals and 147 points to lead the club, and rank third in WHL scoring. Pederson led the Cougars in post-season scoring, scoring 15 goals and 36 points in 15 games. [[Rich Chernomaz]] was acquired by Victoria in a trade with the [[Saskatoon Blades]] prior to the season. Chernomaz scored 49 goals and 113 points in 72 games. [[Torrie Robertson]] was a third member of the Cougars to crack the 100-point plateau, as he scored 45 goals and 111 points in 59 games after he was returned to junior hockey after starting the season in the [[National Hockey League|NHL]] with the [[Washington Capitals]]. Goaltender [[Grant Fuhr]] emerged as a top prospect during the season, as in 59 games, Fuhr posted a record of 48-9-1 with a 2.78 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Fuhr would be selected with the eighth overall pick at the [[1981 NHL Entry Draft]] by the [[Edmonton Oilers]].

The 1981 Memorial Cup was the Cougars first appearance in team history.

==Round-robin standings==
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WL
| ranking_style = wins | use_goal_diff = n
| update = complete
| team1 = COR | name_COR = [[Cornwall Royals]] ([[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League|QMJHL]])
| team2 = KIT | name_KIT = [[Kitchener Rangers]] ([[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]])
| team3 = VIC | name_VIC = [[Victoria Cougars (WHL)|Victoria Cougars]] ([[Western Hockey League|WHL]])
| win_COR = 3 | loss_COR = 1 | gf_COR = 21 | ga_COR = 14
| win_KIT = 2 | loss_KIT = 2 | gf_KIT = 17 | ga_KIT = 19
| win_VIC = 1 | loss_VIC = 3 | gf_VIC = 14 | ga_VIC = 19
| col_A = green2 | text_A = Advanced to final
| result1 = A| result2 = A
| source = 
}}

==Scores==
'''Round-robin'''
*May 3 Cornwall 6-3 Kitchener
*May 4 Victoria 7-4 Kitchener
*May 5 Cornwall 3-1 Victoria
*May 6 Kitchener 6-4 Cornwall
*May 7 Kitchener 4-2 Victoria
*May 8 Cornwall 8-4 Victoria

'''Final'''
*May 10 Cornwall 8-2 Kitchener

<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/history-tournamentresults/ |title=MemorialCup.ca - Tournament Results |access-date=2016-05-11 |archive-date=2018-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719114102/http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/history-tournamentresults |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Winning roster==
{| class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
|-
! colspan="7" style="background:blue;color:white;text-align:center;"| 1980-81 Cornwall Royals<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/history-rosters/ |title=MemorialCup.ca - Winning Rosters |access-date=2016-05-11 |archive-date=2017-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910221004/http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/history-rosters/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|  style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"| '''Goaltenders'''

*{{hockey team player|no=1|name=[[Tom Graovac]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=1|name=[[Corrado Micalef]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=30|name=[[Joe Mantione]]}}
| style="width: 25px;" | 
|  style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"|

'''Defencemen'''

*{{hockey team player|no=2|name=[[Craig Halliday]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=3|name=[[Fred Arthur]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=5|name=[[Eric Calder]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=6|name=[[Marc Lalonde (ice hockey)|Marc Lalonde]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=7|name=[[Robert Savard]]}} - [[Captain (ice hockey)|A]]
*{{hockey team player|no=20|name=[[Fred Boimistruck]]}} - [[Captain (ice hockey)|A]]
| style="width: 25px;" | 
|  style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"|

'''Wingers'''

*{{hockey team player|no=11|name=[[Marc Crawford]]}} - [[Captain (ice hockey)|C]]
*{{hockey team player|no=12|name=[[Stephen Molaski]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=14|name=[[Roy Russell]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=15|name=[[Gerard Peltier]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=17|name=[[Gilles Crepeau]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=18|name=[[Sandy Mitchell (ice hockey)|Sandy Mitchell]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=19|name=[[Dan Frawley (ice hockey)|Dan Frawley]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=24|name=[[John Kirk (ice hockey)|John Kirk]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=27|name=[[Jeff Eatough]]}}
| style="width: 25px;" | 
|  style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"|

'''Centres'''

*{{hockey team player|no=9|name=[[Doug Gilmour]]}}
*{{hockey team player|no=10|name=[[Dale Hawerchuk]]}} - [[Captain (ice hockey)|A]]
*{{hockey team player|no=22|name=[[Scott Arniel]]}}
*'''Coach:''' [[Bob Kilger]]
*'''General Manager:''' [[Bob Kilger]]
|}

==Award winners==
*[[Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy]] (MVP): [[Dale Hawerchuk]], Cornwall
*[[George Parsons Trophy]] (Sportsmanship): [[Mark Morrison (ice hockey b. 1963)|Mark Morrison]], Victoria
*[[Hap Emms Memorial Trophy]] (Goaltender): [[Corrado Micalef]], Cornwall

'''All-star team'''
*Goal: [[Corrado Micalef]], Cornwall
*Defence: [[Fred Arthur]], Cornwall; [[Joe McDonnell (ice hockey)|Joe McDonnell]], Kitchener
*Centre: [[Dale Hawerchuk]], Cornwall
*Left wing: [[Marc Crawford]], Cornwall
*Right wing: [[Brian Bellows]], Kitchener

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/ Memorial Cup] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602202910/http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/ |date=2016-06-02 }}
* [http://chl.ca/ Canadian Hockey League]

{{Memorial Cup|state=expanded}}
{{Canadian Hockey League}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Memorial Cup 1981}}
[[Category:1980–81 in Canadian ice hockey|Mem]]
[[Category:Memorial Cup tournaments|1981 Memorial Cup]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Windsor, Ontario]]