LONDON, Ont. -- The London Knights elimination from their third straight Memorial Cup stung because it was their earliest exit of the three. The host team of the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup was a true contender among the four teams in it. With seven Knights forwards who helped the Knights win the last two Ontario Hockey League championships and with a team that scored over 300 goals this season, London was a threat to win the Cup on their third try in as many years. But the hosts were eliminated by the Guelph Storm in a 7-2 loss Wednesday. The Knights went 0-3 through the preliminary round and needed a win against their OHL rival to get into a tiebreaker game. "We thought for sure wed have a better chance of winning it this year," Knights forward Josh Anderson said. "We didnt have the bounces we wanted. Its too bad it had to end this way. "We wanted to have the Memorial Cup championship. I thought our organization really deserved one after the hard work weve been putting through these past three years. Looking at it now, Im glad I got the opportunity to come here and play for the London Knights." The Knights lost the 2012 final 2-1 in overtime to the host Shawinigan Cataractes. They fell in last years semifinal to the Portland Winterhawks in Saskatoon. The Storm were the first team since the Windsor Spitfires in 2010 to go 3-0 through the preliminary round. The OHL champions had already secured a berth in Sundays championship game after their second win. "It gives us confidence to know we can beat every team in the tournament," Storm forward Scott Kosmachuk said. The Val-dOr Foreurs, 2-1, and the Edmonton Oil Kings, 1-2, meet in Fridays semifinal in a clash of the Quebec and Western league champions. The winner faces the Storm for the Cup. Kosmachuk is a Winnipeg Jets prospect and led Guelph with a hat trick. Detroit Red Wings draft pick Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice. Marc Stevens and Dallas Stars prospect Jason Dickinson added a goal apiece for an explosive offence thats churned out 18 goals in three games in the tournament. The Storms Justin Nichols held off London when they pressed late in the first period and midway through the second. He made 45 saves for the win. Anderson, a Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, and Brett Welychka replied for the Knights. London mustered just four goals in three games. Two were scored by defencemen. The Knights were stopped on two penalty shots in the tournament and they scored once on 12 power-play chances. London outshot the Foreurs 51-28 in the first game of the tournament, but lost 1-0. "Its a bad time to get cold for offence and for scoring goals," Knights forward Max Domi said. London goalie Anthony Stolarz stopped 14-of-17 shots and was replaced by Jake Patterson early in the second when he inadvertently kicked the puck into his own net. Patterson allowed four goals on 21 shots. Guelph also ousted London from this years OHL playoffs on Apr. 11. The Knights had five weeks without a game, which may explain their lack of touch around the net. "Its not easy being off for that long and coming back and playing at the high level these guys have been playing through the whole thing and winning championships," Knights forward Bo Horvat said. "Weve been practising the whole time, but theres no excuses." Londons goaltending felt unsettled as well. Because of an eight-game playoff suspension in March, Stolarzs hiatus prior to the Cup was even longer. In his first game in seven weeks, he made 27 saves in the loss to Val-dOr. But the Philadelphia Flyers prospect was replaced by Patterson both Wednesday and after two periods of Sundays 5-2 loss to Edmonton. Wednesdays round-robin finale featured a pair of frightening knee-on-knee collisions, although the players in each case escaped major injury. Storm assistant captain Zack Mitchell was tossed at 6:56 of the first period for kneeing London defenceman Dakota Mermis. The CHL suspended his Storm teammate Chadd Bauman for the rest of the tournament Wednesday for the same hit on Val-dOr defenceman Guillaume Gelinas on Monday. Knights defenceman Nikita Zadorov took a tripping minor in a second-collision with Bertuzzi, who limped off the ice. But both Mermis and Bertuzzi stayed in Wednesdays game, whereas Gelinas was unable to play the following night against Edmonton. Londons frustration boiled over in the final minutes and Stevens scored Guelphs fourth power-play goal of the game on a two-man advantage at 17:14. The Windsor Spitfires of 2010 went 4-0 en route to the Cup that year. But the Spitfires opened the 2009 tournament with a pair of losses and ran the table to claim the trophy. For that reason, Guelph wanted London gone so the Knights couldnt come back to haunt them Sunday. "This team is a team that once they get this city and this building behind them, they can really do some damage," Guelph captain Matt Finn said. "We didnt want to let them back in because theyre a dangerous team. "We wanted to be the team that was 3-0 and knock London out of this tournament." Hank Aaron Jersey . -- Caris LeVert had 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, and No. John Smoltz Jersey .com) - Tonight will go a long way in determining the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. http://www.baseballbravesproshop.com/jos...-braves-jersey/. Felton pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. He admitted he knowingly had a large-capacity ammunition magazine and a semi-automatic pistol without a license. Hank Aaron Braves Jersey .C. -- LeBron James called comments on an audio recording of a man identified as Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling "appalling" and said hes not sure if he would suit up for the remainder of the NBA playoffs if he played for the Clippers. Darren ODay Braves Jersey . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training.SAN DIEGO -- The Kansas City Royals had to work overtime to end a season-high, five-game losing streak and get their first win at Petco Park. Alex Gordon singled in the go-ahead run with one out in the 11th inning and pinch-hitter Billy Butler followed with an RBI double to give the Royals a 3-1 victory against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night. The Royals also got great pitching from starter Jeremy Guthrie and relievers Wade Davis and Greg Holland, who held San Diego to one run on six hits. "We knew that we were 0-7 in this place and we needed to change that," manager Ned Yost said. "Our pitching allowed us to do that tonight. Guthrie, Wade Davis, Holland, were all fantastic. They kept us in position, right there in the ballgame, until we could break it open. It took us 11 innings to do it, but the pitching was tremendous." Eric Hosmer started the winning rally when he hit a leadoff double to centre off Nick Vincent (0-1). Gordon singled to right with one out and Hosmer beat the throw home with a headfirst slide, touching the plate with his left hand. "A long losing streak it seems like, so we just needed something positive to happen there," Gordon said. "I was able to find a hole. It works." Butler then doubled in Gordon. "I think the frustration was kicking in a little bit but hopefully this can motivate us a little bit," Gordon said. Davis (2-1) pitched two innings of one-hit ball for the victory, striking out four. Greg Holland, who blew the save Monday night, pitched the 11th for his eighth save in nine chances. Guthrie went a season-high eight innings, allowing one run and four hits, with two strikeouts and one walk. "He threw strikes, changed speeds and kept the ball down," Yost said. "The air was thick tonight and the ball didnt really carry so that really benefited me and helped me to get deep in the game," Guthrie said. "Overall I dont think I had my best stuff, but thee park played to my advantage tonight.dddddddddddd" The Padres were denied their first three-game winning streak of the season. The teams played extra innings for the second straight night. San Diego won 6-5 in 12 innings Monday night. The Royals had a scoring chance in the ninth against Huston Street. Alcides Escobar singled to centre and stole second and third, all with one out. He tried to score on Lorenzo Cains pop foul down the first-base line but was thrown out by Kyle Blanks to end the inning. "I was surprised the runner was going," catcher Yasmani Grandal said. "Kyle has a very good arm. For him that was an easy catch and throw." Each starter gave up a home run. San Diegos Yasmani Grandal homered for the second straight game, a solo shot to right field off Guthrie with one out in the fourth for a 1-0 lead. It was his fourth, moving him into the team lead. Grandal hit a tying three-run shot in the sixth inning Monday night. Salvador Perez tied it with a homer leading off the sixth off San Diegos Robbie Erlin. It was Perezs third. "I wanted to get it on his hands. But I left it out over the middle of the plate," Erlin said. Erlin got a no-decision after losing his previous four starts. He allowed one run and three hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked four. "My curve felt good," he said. "It felt like my offspeed pitches were what I was on with. I was trying to get a feel for my fastball." NOTES: Vincent gave up three hits in the 11th. He had given up only three hits combined in his last 11 outings. ... Manager Bud Black said the Padres will call up a pitcher on Wednesday because the bullpen has been taxed. ... Black said 3B Chase Headley could be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Saturday. Hes been out with a strained right calf. ... The series concludes Wednesday when Kansas City RHP James Shields (3-3, 3.11) opposes RHP Andrew Cashner (2-4, 2.72). ' ' '