Burford’s own, Adam Henrique, captures second consecutive Memorial Cup

All the Windsor Spitfires need is a sense of urgency for their domination to register

By Jesse Ferguson

The Windsor Spitfires were never in doubt in Sunday night’s Memorial Cup final, where they took on the host Brandon Wheat Kings. The Spitfires scored early and often, tallying nine goals while only giving up one. The win sealed the Memorial Cup for a second consecutive season for Windsor, making them only the eighth team to ever repeat. Burford product Adam Henrique, who begun playing hockey in the Burford system, scored two goals and picked up an assist in the game for Windsor, which culminated an excellent season for him.
(The Memorial Cup is Canada’s junior hockey championship that pits the champions from each circuit— the Ontario Hockey League, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Western Hockey League—as well as the host team.)
This season, Henrique racked up 77 points (38 goals, 29 assists) in 54 games (1.43 points per game), which are numbers that speak for themselves, but he really hit his stride in the playoffs. When it counted most, Henrique delivered. He scored 20 goals in 19 OHL playoff games, which was the most in the league. For his efforts, Henrique was given The Gretzky 99 Award as OHL playoff MVP.
Last season, Windsor trounced the rest of the OHL en route to claim the championship, thereby earning a spot in the Memorial Cup. However, their cruise control was met head on at the Memorial Cup by the rest of the CHL, where Windsor lost its first two games in the Memorial Cup. In a tournament of only four teams, this is about certain demise. The sense of urgency was turned up to the maximum as the situation became win-or-go-home for Windsor. With their backs against the wall, in the “tiebreaker” game to move on to the semifinal, the Spitfires took down Rimouski. In the semis, they took Drummondville to overtime before Henrique found the mesh, thereby cementing their way into the final. In the final, they left no doubt, again, this time beating Kelowna 4-1. Windsor became the first team ever to capture the tournament after losing its first two games.
This year, the sense of urgency was delivered in alarming fashion. The Spitfires didn’t even blink throughout their first two rounds of the OHL playoffs, ousting Erie then Plymouth in four games each. Then, in the Western Conference final, stepped up the Kitchener Rangers. The Spitfire cruise was abruptly interrupted by the upstart Rangers. Shockingly, the Rangers went up 3-0 in the series. Needing to win four straight games, Windsor woke up. Henrique scored twice in the next game, Windsor’s first win of the series. The next game he delivered two more goals en route to another win. With their backs still against the wall, Henrique scored two more points, forcing a deciding game seven. In that game seven, Henrique kicked off the scoring and his team never looked back, winning 4-1. Having overcome a real scare, Windsor resumed its role sweeping series’ by defeating Barrie. This gave Windsor eight straight wins heading into the Memorial Cup.
Windsor never suffered a loss in the Memorial Cup, giving them twelve consecutive wins to close out the 2009-10 campaign; another championship season for the Windsor Spitfires. The championship also win gives them eight consecutive victories at the Memorial Cup.
In the 2009 Memorial Cup, despite Henrique scoring a goal and an assist in the final, fellow Spitfire, Taylor Hall was named Memorial Cup MVP. Hall scored two goals and six assists in the eight-game tournament. Most people who watched the tournament felt Henrique got snubbed as the tournament MVP, considering he led the tournament in points, as well as scored a goal and an assist in the final. Hall didn’t score a goal in the final.
In the 2010 Memorial Cup, Hall scored nine points in the tournament (to Henrique’s eight), and again, was awarded MVP. It was the “Tournament of Hall” though, as this coming offseason he becomes draft eligible. He is toe-and-toe with Tyler Seguin (not to be confused with Burford Minor Hockey’s former defenceman Josh Seguin) to see whose name is called as the number one pick of the Edmonton Oilers. Back-to-back championships and back-to-back Memorial Cup MVPs say Hall is probably a leg up.
Henrique though, has already been drafted. He was selected 82nd overall by the New Jersey Devils last year, and in all likelihood will wind up in Jersey next season. New Jersey drafted a player who fits well into their system. Henrique, a great two-way player boasting a plus/minus to be envied, looks to be a solid second line forward in the NHL.