Does Anyone Still Doubt the London Knights?

It was billed as a clash of titans. But like almost every game the London Knights played this season, the championship showdown of the 2005 Memorial Cup was a mismatch from the start.

The '05 Knights cemented their place as one of the all-time great Canadian junior teams with Sunday's 4-0 win over Sidney Crosby and the Rimouski Oceanic. London's season record, playoffs included: 79 wins, 9 losses, 2 ties.

Going into the national tournament, some doubted the Knights' status as the class of junior hockey. But their performance looked very familiar to anyone who watched them play since October. In the final game, London held the advantage in goaltending, offense, defense, special teams, faceoffs and physical play. Rimouski had a decided edge in dumb penalties.

The game was barely two minutes old when the Oceanic put themselves in trouble with some tackling and sucker-punching. Danny Fritsche scored on the resulting 5-on-3 power play. David Boland added the second goal before the first intermission, and it was as good as over.

Rob Schremp scored in the second period and Bryan Rodney in the third. But the real story was how London neutralized an opponent known for scoring goals in bunches, choking off every Rimouski threat. Goaltender Adam Dennis stopped 27 shots for the shutout, but the Oceanic barely touched the puck in the third period.

As for Crosby, he was barely noticeable. The Knights were mobile, smart and big enough to cut off his options all day long, and the coverage was mostly legal.

The game was a microcosm of London's season, which often had a men-against-boys look about it. Having been named the host team for the Memorial Cup, London loaded the lineup with 14 final-year players. In an under-20 league, that's decided advantage in size and experience. The Knights sacrificed many a draft choice to bolster the lineup. But they have a championship to show for it, and a new standard of success that will likely stand for years to come.