CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 2

REMPARTS RULE THE ROOST

THEO ROCHETTE HAD HIS trophy-hoisting form down to a fine art by the time he held the Memorial Cup aloft in Kamloops. “It was lighter than the other Cup,” he said, “so it was better for me.” For the Quebec Remparts captain, the memory of skating with the freshly renamed Gilles-Courteau Trophy was fresh in his mind. Just two weeks earlier, his squad had bested the Halifax Mooseheads in six games to become the QMJHL representative at the 2023 Memorial Cup. Only five days after that celebration, and following a cross-country journey out west, the Remparts served notice they were the team to beat at this year’s CHL championship tournament. On opening night, the QMJHL squad dished out an 8-3 beatdown to the host Kamloops Blazers. Three nights later, a 3-1 win over…

READY TO BREAK OUT: CENTRAL DIVISION

The departures of Jakob Chychrun and Shayne Gostisbehere fundamentally changed the makeup of Arizona’s blueline and provided a chance for J.J. MOSER to take on a top-four role as an NHL sophomore. His 31-point return was proof positive the 23-year-old Swiss rearguard has untapped potential. A former captain in the Swiss League and a national-team fixture, Moser has the makeup of an up-and-coming ‘D’ who can thrive in Arizona’s low-pressure environment. Top-pairing minutes look to be in his future. It’s worth wondering if LUKAS REICHEL would’ve seen more NHL action this season if the Blackhawks were trying to ice a competitive roster. The 21-year-old, selected 17th overall in 2020, has proven himself a capable AHL producer, and his seven goals and 15 points in 23 NHL games in 2022-23 ranked third…

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM FOR THE SIX

IF THE PHF HAD once again staged its playoff rounds in a single-game format, it would have been another early exit for the Toronto Six. But in its third year of operation, the league’s first Canadian expansion team brought the Isobel Cup north of the border for the first time. The trophy, named for Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy, the daughter of one Lord Stanley of Preston, made the triumphant rounds upon its arrival in Toronto – including a visit to Scotiabank Arena for a Maple Leafs game on April 2. The PHF final was a winner-take-all affair at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on March 26, where the Six defeated the Minnesota Whitecaps in a 4-3 overtime thriller. But this year’s two semifinals were best-of-three affairs, marking the first time in the seven-season…