2009 Founders Cup Finals

The 2009 Founders Cup Final determined the winner of the Founders Cup and the champion of the Professional Inline Hockey Association (PIHA) for the 2009 season. As a culmination of the 2009 Founders Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Colorado Springs Thunder defeated the Eastern Conference champion Connecticut Blaze, four games to two. CJ Yoder was awarded the Walt Frazier Award as the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs.

This was Colorado Springs' first appearance in the Founders Cup Final. Connecticut made its 2nd consecutive appearance in the championship series. This was Colorado Springs' 1st Founders Cup title. Connecticut became the first team to lose in the Cup final in consecutive years.

The Cup Final was broadcast live on the internet on Justin.tv for the first time in the league's history.

Paths to the Final

For more details on this topic, see 2009 Founders Cup playoffs.

The Colorado Springs Thunder entered the Final after winning the Best Overall Record Trophy as the team that had the best record during the regular season. Led by stars CJ Yoder, Brian Yingling, and Mike Ciolli, Colorado Springs scored 42 goals in the first three round of the playoffs. The Thunder swept division rival Parker Prowlers in the Rocky Mountain Division Semifinals, in two games. The team swept the Denver Blizzard in the Rocky Mountain Division Final round, and defeated the St. Louis Cobras in four games to win their first Western Conference Championship Trophy in franchise history.

The Connecticut Blaze entered the championship series after earning the third and final berth in the Northeast Division. The team was led by John Pinheiro, who finished the regular season third in the league in scoring. The Blaze swept the New Jersey Grizzlies in the Northeast Division Semifinals. In the Northeast Division Finals, the Blaze defeated division champion the Suffolk Sting, in three games. The team won the Eastern Conference Championship Trophy by sweeping the Harrisburg Lunatics, in Harrisburg's home rink, in three games.

The series

The 2009 Founder Cup Final marked the first time that the Colorado Springs Thunder and the Connecticut Blaze have ever faced off.

Game one summary

First period:
- Scoring: (1) Colorado Springs: Mike Ciolli (CJ Yoder) 7:30; (2) CJ Yoder (Brian Yingling) 8:20; (3) CJ Yoder (Eric Bogenrief) PPG 9:24
- Penalties: John Pinheiro, Connecticut (Roughing) 5:40; Adam Goulet, Connecticut (Hooking) 9:00
Second period:
- Scoring: (4) Colorado Springs: Eric Bogenrief (Brian Yingling) PPG 1:08; (5) Matt Pederson (Shayne Hayden) 2:05; (1) Connecticut: John Pinheiro (Eric Sarao) 7:24
- Penalties: Jeff Goulet, Connecticut (Hooking) 0:30; Mike Ciolli, Colorado Springs (Tripping) 2:00; Brian Yingling, Colorado Springs (Roughing) 7:00
Goalie Statistics:
- Colorado Springs: Dan Lamb – 9 saves / 10 shots
- Connecticut: Luke Brind'Amour – 15 saves / 20 shots
Shots by Period:

Team	1	2	T
Connecticut	4	6	10
Colorado Springs	8	12	20

Rosters

Years indicated in boldface under the "Finals appearance" column signify that the player won the Founders Cup in the given year.

Connecticut Blaze

Goaltenders
#	Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of birth		Finals appearance
32	Shawn Cushion	R	2007		West Haven, Connecticut	second (2008)
46	Luke Brind'Amour	R	2009			first
Defensemen
#	Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of birth		Finals appearance
11	John Bowling	R	2009			first
22	Eric Sarao	L	2008		Bedford, Massachusetts	third (2007, 2008)
28	Paul Yovino	R	2007		Monroe, Connecticut	first
87	Mike Upton	R	2009		Charlestown, Massachusetts	first
93	Darrell Interbartolo – C	R	2009		East Boston, Massachusetts	second (2007)
Forwards
#	Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of birth		Finals appearance
8	Mario Lucibello	L	2007		West Haven, Connecticut	second (2008)
12	Scott St. Cyr	R	2008		Marlboro, Massachusetts	third (2007, 2008)
16	John Pinheiro	R	2007		Glendale, Rhode Island	fourth (2005, 2006, 2008)
19	Joe Brennan	R	2009			first
21	Adam Goulet	L	2008		Woonsocket, Rhode Island	second (2008)
23	Kenny Couto	R	2009			first
61	Jeff Goulet	L	2008		Woonsocket, Rhode Island	third (2007, 2008)
66	Steve Fabiano	L	2009		Revere, Massachusetts	first
77	Ryan Murran	R	2009			first
89	Richard Nolan	L	2008		Monroe, Connecticut	second (2008)
92	Jay McGeown	R	2008		Lowell, Massachusetts	third (2007, 2008)
94	Jim Mathews	R	2009			first
98	Justin Tyrell	R	2009			first

Colorado Springs Thunder

Goaltenders
#	Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of birth		Finals appearance
1	Dan Lamb	R	2008		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
33	Zach Taylor	R	2009		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first (did not play)
49	Jason Risenhoover	L	2008		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
Defensemen
#	Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of birth		Finals appearance
9	CJ Yoder – C	R	2008		Hershey, Pennsylvania	fourth (2002, 2003, 2004)
23	Branden Maytum	R	2007		Pueblo, Colorado	first
27	Mike Ciolli – A	R	2008		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
34	Jesse Tuttle	R	2008		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
85	Aaron Towns	R	2007		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
96	Eric Bogenrief	R	2009		Monument, Colorado	first
Forwards
#	Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of birth		Finals appearance
8	Brian Yingling – A	L	2007		Harrisburg, Pennsylvania	fourth (2002, 2003, 2004)
10	Ryan Pederson	L	2008		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
15	Matt Pederson	R	2008		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
20	Brian Higney	L	2007		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
21	Shayne Hayden	R	2008		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first
25	Bob Birdno	R	2007		Colorado Springs, Colorado	first