1980 Memorial Cup

The 1980 Memorial Cup occurred May 4–11 at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba and at the Regina Agridome in Regina, Saskatchewan. It was the 62nd annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Peterborough Petes, Cornwall Royals and Regina Pats. Cornwall won their second Memorial Cup, defeating Peterborough in the final game.

The 1980 Memorial Cup is remembered as one of the most controversial in the tournament's history. Going into the final game of the round-robin, Peterborough (the defending champs, having won their first Cup in 1979) had clinched first place overall, and with a win over Cornwall, would have faced Regina in the Cup final. Many in Saskatchewan believed that the Petes deliberately threw the final game of the round-robin in order to face the Royals, a team that was perceived as weaker, again in the final. In the contest, Peterborough held a 4-1 lead in the second period, only to have Cornwall storm back with four goals to take a 5-4 lead. With 1:26 to play, partisan Saskatchewan fans began chanting "Throw the game" and "Petes, go home." Soon, the fans began throwing toilet paper, programs, soft drinks and other things at the Petes, causing a fifteen-minute delay and the arrival of some Regina city policemen. The game ended 5-4, thus clinching Cornwall's berth in the Cup final.

The allegations were never proven, and even if they were true, it quickly backfired on Peterborough: the very same Royals upended the Petes on Robert Savard's goal in overtime, 3-2, to take the trophy. The game had been interrupted on sixteen occasions as fans threw eggs -- and even a live chicken -- on the ice. After Savard's game-winning goal, things got even uglier as the Peterborough bench was pelted with eggs, tomatoes, garbage and debris. (Interestingly, as of 2017, the Petes have never won another Memorial Cup.)

...
Wikipedia