Patrick King

Windsor sent a message in the MasterCard Memorial Cup opener that a repeat is well within reach.

BRANDON, Man. -- The Brandon Wheat Kings wanted to run the Windsor Spitfires out of the building, but it was the hosts who saw the early exit.

After a decisive 9-3 victory that was determined within the first five minutes, two questions emerged from the game: Are the defending Memorial Cup-champion Windsor Spitfires that good or are the host Wheat Kings that rusty?

The answer became apparent and is without question a combination of both. Windsor came in reeling with confidence and their quick-strike offence buried the offensively-oriented Wheat Kings, whose defensive zone coverage was non-existent from the start.

Brandon, who hasn't played in several weeks after losing to the Calgary Hitmen in the Eastern Conference final, opened the game by taking the body and setting the tempo. It was the start the home team was hoping for, but the Spitfires answered the physical play from the Wheat Kings by putting up a quick four-spot before the game was five minutes old.

"When a team comes out like that you just got to answer with putting pucks in the net," Spitfires defenceman Mark Cundari said.

The hosts handled the puck as though it was a live grenade and Windsor's offence made the Wheat Kings pay for every turnover.

The Spitfires proved their offence's potency after scoring an average of five goals in the four-game sweep of the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League championship series.

The game was so ugly that the Wheat Kings fans turned on their own team and gave their goaltender, Andrew Hayes, a mock cheer on a routine save after allowing four goals on nine shots.

The only question left to be answered as the game progressed was whether the Spitfires would beat the Memorial Cup record for goals scored in a game. The Spitfires shortened their bench in the final frame, playing their bottom two lines and opting not to try tying the tournament record of 11 goals in a game set twice, by Regina in 1983 and Quebec in 1974.

The most puzzling decision was not Wheat Kings head coach Kelly McCrimmon's decision to start Hayes, but rather, to leave him in. Hayes began the year as the team's starter, but seemingly lost that role to newcomer Jacob De Serres.

McCrimmon said Hayes outplayed his counterpart in practice leading up to the Memorial Cup and he made a gut call. He wouldn't name his starter for Sunday's game against Moncton, but it's hard to fathom the Wheat Kings going back to Hayes after Friday's lopsided loss.

It would be easy to blame Brandon's slow start to rust. The Wheat Kings had not played in several weeks and it showed.

But if blame is being handed out, it shouldn't completely fall at Hayes' feet for the loss -- although a fair share of it will land at his doorstep. He lost his composure early in the game after Windsor's first goal when the Wheat Kings' defensive core opted to double-team Zack Kassian and leave Kenny Ryan open for a clear shot.

Such plays became commonplace for the home team. Brandon's Brodie Melnychuk attempted a clear-out from his right corner and his team had begun up-ice without the puck. Spitfires overage forward Dale Mitchell corralled the pass that appeared of no interest to the already departing Brandon players and fed a wide-open Scott Timmins for a backhand goal to make it 2-0.

Veteran defenceman Travis Hamonic felt blame should be spread equally throughout the lineup.

"I'm not going to point any fingers," he said. "I think it was a team effort. There was (sic) 20 guys on the ice today and I think all 20 guys lost us the game."

A rash of undisciplined play, bad turnovers and poor goaltending took the drama away from the first game.

If there's any comfort in the loss, it's that it will count the same in the standings. Brandon is 0-1 moving forward and their inclusion in the tournament does not change regardless of how one-sided the outcome.

"Yeah, obviously it's frustrating the margin of the score, but a loss is a loss and whether it went four periods into overtime and we end up losing the game, there isn't much difference," Hamonic said.

"For sure it's a huge statement, but it counts the same as a 2-1 win," Hall added.

The defending champs take comfort in starting the tournament with a win after losing the first two in Rimouski a year ago. The 9-3 win will serve as a statement to Moncton and Calgary as to Windsor's depth and hunger.

"I'm sure they know we're here to compete," Cundari said. "We're not going to give up and we're gunning for a second straight title."

That message was sent and it's looking like a repeat is well within reach.