The 1980 Memorial Cup was the 62nd annual Memorial Cup competition, which served as the championship tournament of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and determined the national major junior ice hockey champion of Canada for the 1979–80 season. The tournament took place May 4–11, 1980, at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba, and the Agridome (now Brandt Centre) in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Format and Participants
The three-team tournament featured the champions of Canada's three major junior leagues: the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL), the Cornwall Royals of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Each team played the others twice in a round-robin format, after which the two teams with the best records advanced to the championship final.
The Cornwall Royals, under head coach Doug Carpenter, had won the QMJHL championship by defeating the Sherbrooke Castors in six games. The team was anchored by 16-year-old rookie centre Dale Hawerchuk, who recorded 37 goals and 103 points in 72 regular-season games and led club playoff scoring with 20 goals and 45 points in 18 contests. Dave Ezard led the Royals in regular-season scoring with 40 goals and 105 points.
The Peterborough Petes, coached by Mike Keenan, had won a franchise-record 47 regular-season games and claimed their third consecutive OMJHL title. Key players included centre Bill Gardner (43 goals, 106 points), defenceman Larry Murphy, and goaltender Rick LaFerriere. The Petes entered the tournament as the defending Memorial Cup champions and rode an 11-game postseason winning streak.
The Regina Pats, coached by Bryan Murray, were led by WHL scoring champion Doug Wickenheiser, who had 89 goals and 170 points in 71 games. Other prominent Pats included Ron Flockhart, Darren Veitch, Mike Blaisdell, and goaltender Bart Hunter.
Round-Robin Results
- May 4: Peterborough 5–4 Regina (overtime)
- May 5: Cornwall 5–3 Regina
- May 6: Peterborough 8–6 Cornwall
- May 7: Peterborough 4–3 Regina
- May 8: Regina 11–2 Cornwall
- May 9: Cornwall 5–4 Peterborough
Peterborough finished first in the round-robin standings (3–1), followed by Cornwall (2–2) and Regina (1–3).
Controversy
The 1980 Memorial Cup is widely regarded as one of the most controversial tournaments in the event's history. Entering the final round-robin game, the Peterborough Petes had already clinched first place overall. A Peterborough victory over Cornwall would have sent the Regina Pats, the host-region team, into the final against the Petes. However, Peterborough lost 5–4 after holding a 4–1 lead in the second period.
Many observers in Saskatchewan alleged that the Petes deliberately lost the game to avoid facing the hometown Regina Pats, who had a strong home-ice advantage, and instead meet a Cornwall team perceived as weaker. Allegations centered on reports of uncharacteristic play, including not shooting on apparent breakaways and inconsistent third-period effort. The allegations were never proven. Coach Mike Keenan hotly denied them, calling them "garbage" and stating, "We never, ever threw a hockey game."
The defeat of the Petes, which eliminated the Pats, sparked disorder in the stands. Regina fans chanted "throw the game" and "Petes, go home," and threw toilet paper, programs, and soft drinks at the Peterborough players. The game was delayed approximately fifteen minutes while Regina city police arrived.
The Final
The championship final was played May 11 in Regina before an estimated 3,500 spectators. Cornwall defeated Peterborough 3–2 in overtime on a goal by defenceman Robert Savard at 1:28 of overtime. Savard, who had scored only four goals during the regular season, carried the puck the length of the ice and beat goaltender Rick LaFerriere with a low shot.
The final was marked by continued crowd disorder, with fans throwing eggs, tomatoes, garbage, and other objects—reportedly including a live chicken—at the Peterborough bench. The game was interrupted sixteen times because of debris on the ice. Police were present, but the game was not halted permanently.
Awards and Tournaments
Several individual awards were presented:
- Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player): Dave Ezard, Cornwall
- George Parsons Trophy (Sportsmanship): Dale Hawerchuk, Cornwall
- Hap Emms Memorial Trophy (Best Goaltender): Rick LaFerriere, Peterborough
The tournament all-star team included goaltender Rick LaFerriere (Peterborough); defencemen Darren Veitch (Regina) and Larry Murphy (Peterborough); centre Bill Gardner (Peterborough); left wing Dale Hawerchuk (Cornwall); and right wing Mark Reeds (Peterborough).
Aftermath and Format Change
The controversy surrounding the tournament prompted the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League to modify the format for future competitions. Officials stated at the time that no team should be placed in a position where, having already clinched a berth in the final, it entered a round-robin game that could determine its opponent. Changes were introduced prior to the 1981 tournament, and the Memorial Cup later adopted a four-team format beginning in 1984 with the inclusion of an automatic host-team berth.
The Cornwall Royals' victory marked their second Memorial Cup championship (following 1972). Cornwall would win the Memorial Cup again in 1981, defeating the Kitchener Rangers and Victoria Cougars. The 1980 tournament was also notable for featuring future NHL players Dale Hawerchuk (drafted in 1981), Larry Murphy, Doug Wickenheiser (first overall pick in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft), Darren Veitch, Mike Blaisdell, and Marc Crawford, among others.
