O.1 SAINT JOHN OPENS THE 2011 MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP AGAINST HOST MISSISSAUGA ON ROGERS SPORTSNET

All tournament games will be featured in primetime for the first time

TORONTO (May 17, 2011) – The Canadian Hockey League’s No.1 team, the Saint John Sea Dogs, open the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament against the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors on Friday, May 20 at 7 p.m. (ET)/4 p.m. (PT) on the Rogers Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific channels. All games are in high definition.

Hockeycentral analysts Nick Kypreos and Doug MacLean join host Daren Millard at the Hershey Centre and will provide their analysis throughout each broadcast. The panel will also file reports for Hockeycentral and Sportsnet Connected.

Peter Loubardias provides the play-by-play from the Hershey Centre while Sam Cosentino handles the analysis. Rob Faulds is the host.

Sportsnet will also feature a wireless handheld camera on the ice to provide viewers with a unique perspective and capture all the emotion including the pre-game warm-ups and goal celebrations during stoppages in play. Live streaming of the wireless handheld camera will be available on sportsnet.ca. In addition, sportsnet.ca CHL columnist Patrick King will file daily key questions for each game during the tournament and handle game recaps for the website.

Sportsnet Radio The FAN 590 will also broadcast all games from the MasterCard Memorial Cup on fan590.com. Roger Lajoie will have the play-by-play with Jack Miller providing the analysis for the first three games from May 20-22. Dun Dunleavy will take over the play-by-play for the remainder of the tournament while accompanied by both Lajoie and Miller sharing the analyst duties. Sportsnet Radio The FAN 590 will also broadcast the following live games on the station:

· Owen Sound vs. Kootenay Saturday, May 21 @ 7 p.m. (ET)

· Tiebreaker game (If necessary) Thursday, March 26 @ 7 p.m. (ET)

· MasterCard Memorial Cup Final Sunday, May 29 @ 7 p.m. (ET)

Host Mississauga is looking for their first Memorial Cup championship in franchise history. The Majors entered the playoffs riding a 14-game winning streak and won another nine-straight games during their first three rounds of the post-season. Majors netminder JP Anderson dominated with a playoff best record of 15-2-3, to go along with four shutouts in 20 games.

Saint John finished with the CHL’s top record (58-7-1-2) and cruised into the Memorial Cup tournament, including sweeps in their first round and semi-final playoff series. Sea Dogs forward Jonathan Huberdeau led the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in playoff scoring with 16 goals, and received the Guy-Lafleur Trophy as the MVP of the QMJHL playoffs. Huberdeau, an expected top-5 selection at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, is currently ranked third-overall by NHL Central Scouting in their final list of North American skaters.

The Owen Sound Attack were crowned OHL champions after capturing the J. Ross Robertson Cup with an overtime win over the Majors in Game 7 of the OHL Rogers Championship Series. Attack forwards Robby Mignardi and Joey Hishon finished tied with 24 points for the league-lead in playoff scoring. Mignardi was selected as the MVP of the 2011 OHL Playoffs, including 15 goals in 22 games.

The Kootenay Ice claimed the Ed Chynoweth Cup as the 2011 Western Hockey League Champions, winning their series over the Portland Winterhawks 4-1. Kootenay has previously won the Memorial Cup just once, back in 2002. Ice forward Matt Fraser led the entire CHL playoffs with 17 goals in 19 games.

For all the scores, highlights, breaking news and inside stories for the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup tune in to Hockeycentral, Sportsnet Connected and visit www.sportsnet.ca.

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