The Summerside Western Capitals are a Junior "A" hockey team based in Summerside, Prince Edward Island . They are members of the Maritime Junior Hockey League , and they play their home games at the Consolidated Credit Union Place . Until 2007 the team played at the former Cahill Stadium .
36-701: The Hemphill Pontiac Western Capitals began in the Island Junior Hockey League . Summerside is in the Western end of the province, & sometimes referred to as 'The Western Capital', thus the reference to 'western' in the original team name. The Capitals joined the MJAHL in 1991. They hosted the Centennial Cup 1989 on behalf of the IJHL. This team was coached by former NHL coach, General Manager, & Team President of
72-705: A host city as chosen by the CJHL. The Red Deer Rustlers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League defeated the Charlottetown Islanders of the Island Junior Hockey League in 1971 to claim the inaugural Canadian Junior A championship and Manitoba Centennial Trophy. The 1972 Centennial Cup gained national attention when the Guelph CMC's of the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League were in
108-589: A ten-team round robin featuring the winners of all nine CJHL member leagues as well as a pre-selected host city. The championship has also been known as the National Junior A Championship in 2019, it was formerly known as the Royal Bank Cup from 1996 to 2018 and the Manitoba Centennial Cup from 1971 to 1995. It is currently branded as the Centennial Cup after Tim Hortons , the title sponsor of
144-658: A very close score of 4–3. With that win the Summerside Western Capitals became the first team in Eastern Canada to win the national jr. A (Tier II) junior championship, Royal Bank Cup. In 2001 the team made a run for the league championship. After sweeping the first two rounds without one of their top players, Denis White, the Antigonish Bulldogs took advantage of the Capitals beating them in five games to go on
180-458: Is no BC representative. Round-robin play in two 5-team pools with top three in pool advancing to determine a Champion. These are franchise records held by previous team rosters. Figures are updated after each completed MHL regular season. Island Junior Hockey League (1973%E2%80%931991) The Island Junior Hockey League (IJHL), also sometimes called the PEI Junior A Hockey League ,
216-770: The 1997 Royal Bank Cup in Summerside, the Western Capitals won the first game, 5–1 over the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats. They then hit a stumbling block, losing their second and third games 7–5 and 8–2 to the Kanata Valley Lasers and the Weyburn Red Wings. They finished the round robin by losing 3–2 to the South Surrey Eagles in overtime. Because the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats had already lost 4 games,
252-599: The 2013 Royal Bank Cup , where they had gained entry into the tournament as the Western Canada Cup runner-up making them the first team in Centennial Cup/Royal Bank Cup history to win the national championship without being the host or a regional champion. Overtime is common as the Junior A championships with the longest game in the tournament's history started on May 12, 2007, at 2007 Royal Bank Cup between
288-538: The 2018 Royal Bank Cup , Royal Bank of Canada ended their sponsorship agreement with the Canadian Junior Hockey League. After going by the name National Junior A Championship in 2019, the CJHL and Hockey Canada reverted the title back to its original name — the Centennial Cup — for its 50th anniversary in 2020. In December 2019, Tim Hortons was unveiled by Hockey Canada as the presenting sponsor for
324-684: The ANAVET and Doyle Cup winners to advance to the national championship. For the 1996 tournament, the trophy gained a sponsor and became the Royal Bank Cup. The ANAVET and Doyle Cups were temporarily replaced by the Western Canada Cup , which determined the two Western seeds for the Royal Bank Cup, from 2013 to 2017. During this time, the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League won
360-707: The Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League and the host Prince George Spruce Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League . The Spruce Kings won the game 3–2 6:01 into the fifth overtime period. The game lasted 146:01, just short of the CJAHL record set by the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and the Pickering Panthers in the 2007 Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League playoffs (154:32). After
396-624: The Columbus Blue Jackets , Doug MacLean , a Summerside native. The 1996–97 Western Capitals created a come from behind, story book tale during the year. They were coached by current NHL coach and former Detroit Red Wings player, Gerard Gallant, and they dominated the MJAHL Roger Meek Division during the regular season. In the first round of the playoffs they routed the Restigouche River Rats in five games. They beat out
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#1732844600381432-541: The Dudley Hewitt Cup champion (Eastern Canada). A three-team tournament format, splitting Eastern Canada into two regions, was introduced in 1979 and used until 1981. The Centennial Cup permanently moved back to the tournament format in 1986, with the addition of a predetermined host team to the field. It later expanded to a five-team tournament in 1990 when the Abbott Cup series was discontinued in favour of allowing both
468-534: The Fred Page Cup . They did not make another significant run again until former Philadelphia Flyer, Forbes Kennedy , was hired as head coach in 2004–05. They were one of the leagues elite teams for the three years that he coached the team, going to the division final in 2005-06 but losing to the Woodstock Slammers in 7 games. In the 2006–07 season they won 15 games in a row to end the season and went on to win
504-623: The Prince Albert Raiders won in 1981 and 1982 , while Vernon won in 1990 and 1991 (as the Lakers), and again in 2009 and 2010 (as the Vipers), and the Brooks Bandits in 2022 and 2023 . The Prince Albert Raiders also hold a record for appearing in the championship final three consecutive times, in 1977 , 1978 and 1979 . The Raiders also reached the national finals five times in six years (1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982), while winning
540-756: The Thunder Bay Flyers of the United States Hockey League 4–1 in the final after beating the Moncton Hawks 3–2 in a triple-overtime thriller in the semi-final. In 1991, the IJHL folded when two teams, Charlottetown Abbies and Summerside Western Capitals, jumped to the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League (MVJHL). The MVJHL immediately changed its name to the Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MJAHL) – a tribute to
576-736: The 2022 tournament, withdrew future sponsorship in response to the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal . The Manitoba Centennial Trophy was presented to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) by the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) to commemorate their centennial year of 1970. At that time, the CAHA reconfigured their junior tiers, creating two separate classifications – Major junior and Junior A . The major junior teams were grouped into
612-624: The Canadian Junior Hockey League announced that the championship return to its original name, the Centennial Cup. The Pembroke Lumber Kings won the 2011 Royal Bank Cup , and became the first Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) team to win the National Junior A Championship since the 1976 champion Rockland Nationals . In 2015, the Portage Terriers broke a 41-year drought for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), being
648-522: The Capitals defeated Truro in 5 games, and won their first league championship since 1997, on home ice. The Capitals entered the Fred Page Cup tournament, and after going 2–1 in the round robin portion, they defeated the Pembroke Lumber Kings 4–1 in the semifinal to move to the final against the Dieppe Commandos. The Caps won the game 3–2 in double overtime after Mike MacIsaac scored, to send
684-526: The Caps to their first Royal Bank Cup since winning it in 1997 as the host team. The Capitals travelled to the Pacific coast to Victoria, BC to participate in their 2nd tournament. Summerside had a 0–4 record heading into their final game against the defending RBC champions Humboldt Broncos . Summerside won the game 5–0, but were already eliminated from the tournament and finished 5th. The players were angry and upset about
720-482: The Caps were sold to a new private local group. Canadian Jr. A National Championships Maritime Junior Hockey League , Quebec Junior Hockey League , Central Canada Hockey League , Ontario Junior Hockey League , Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League , Superior International Junior Hockey League , Manitoba Junior Hockey League , Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League , Alberta Junior Hockey League , and Host . The BCHL declared itself an independent league and there
756-455: The Centennial Cup. The 2020 and 2021 tournaments were later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the only times the championship has not been played since 1970. Starting in 1990, the tournament used a five-team round-robin followed by a playoff. The format for qualification of the participating teams was based on four regional champions and the host team. Ahead of the 2022 Centennial Cup ,
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#1732844600381792-581: The Charlottetown Abbies in the second round before going on to win the Callaghan Cup by clinching a seven-game league final in Dartmouth. Following the tough playoffs came a long bus trip to Brockville, Ont for the 1997 Fred Page Cup . The winner of that tournament advanced to the Royal Bank Cup, which the Capitals were hosting that year. They lost all 3 games in the round robin and were eliminated. At
828-581: The Manitoba Centennial Trophy served as the trophy for the champions of the new Junior A division. Earl Dawson and Bill Addison were the named initial trustees of the trophy, both of whom were past presidents of the MAHA. The tournament subsequently became known as the Centennial Cup . From 1971 to 1978 and from 1982 to 1984, the Centennial Cup pitted the Abbott Cup champion (Western Canada) versus
864-622: The Meek division title before losing in 6 games in the league final against the Truro Bearcats . In the 2008–09 season, the Capitals finished first place in the Meek division, and later went on to defeat the Dieppe Commandos , and Miramichi Timberwolves in 4 game sweeps to advance to the league championship series, to take on the Truro Bearcats for the second time in 3 years. This time though,
900-492: The Roger Meek Division, and won a seven-game division semifinal series against second-place Miramichi. The Capitals were then eliminated by eventual league-champion Woodstock in a five-game division final. Dwyer returned for his second season in 2010–11 as head coach and Associate Director of Hockey Operations. From 2001 to 2013, the Capitals were owned by a private ownership group consisting of local individuals. In 2013,
936-478: The final game of a four-game sweep of the Red Deer Rustlers and their leading scorer Paul Fendley lost his helmet during a body check and struck his head on the ice, knocking him into a coma . The National Hockey League prospect regained consciousness and died two days later from head trauma . The 1990 Centennial Cup marked the only year that the national championship was decided between two teams from
972-638: The first team to win the Junior A championship since the 1974 Selkirk Steelers . Collectively, the Maritime provinces have only won two championships whereas no teams from the Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL), Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), or the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) have won the Junior A championship to date. There has been a consecutive national champion on four occasions:
1008-488: The outcome and engaged in roughing up one of the hotel employees at the team's hotel. Their behaviour resulted in the Capitals losing the right to host the 2011 Royal Bank Cup. Summerside got their chance to host the tournament in 2014. The Capitals named Gordie Dwyer as their Head Coach and Associate General Manager for the 2009–10 season. Dwyer led a rebuilding team to a regular-season record of 27–20–1–2 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses). The Capitals finished third in
1044-465: The overtime loss game, the Capitals 3 points which was good enough for 4th place. After being shut out of the player awards, the Capitals had to come together as a team. In the regulation round, the Capitals did just that defeating the tournament's MVP and future NHLer, Mark Hartigan, and his Weyburn Red Wings 4–3 in a very exciting overtime. The Capitals used that win as a moral boost to defeat another Future NHLer, Scott Gomez, and his South Surrey Eagles by
1080-618: The same province or league. The host Vernon Lakers defeated the New Westminster Royals 6–5 in overtime to win the national championship. Both teams were members of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League . The final Centennial Cup from this era was awarded to the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in 1995. Note: Champions are in bold . Every tournament in the Royal Bank Cup era
1116-480: The short-lived Maritime Junior A Hockey League (1968–1971) . In 1996, a new Island Junior Hockey League was founded at the Junior B level. Jr. B Jr. A Royal Bank Cup The Centennial Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament organized by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), which determines the national champion of junior A ice hockey . It consists of
Summerside Western Capitals - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-588: The three regional leagues that made up the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (CMJHL), while the Junior A tier included the remaining junior teams in the provincial/regional leagues that later formed the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was determined that the Memorial Cup , which had served as the CAHA's national championship tournament, would become the new championship trophy for the CMJHL while
1188-540: The tournament's format was changed to include the winners of the nine member leagues of the CJHL: the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL) and Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MHL) plus
1224-615: The winners of the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League , Eastern Junior A Hockey League , and Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League for advancement in the Centennial Cup playdowns. In 1989, the Summerside Western Capitals hosted the Canadian Junior A Championship, then known as the Manitoba Centennial Cup , and represented the IJHL at the tourney. The Western Capitals came in second place, losing to
1260-733: Was a Junior ice hockey league in Prince Edward Island , Canada. Originally Junior B, the league was promoted to Junior A in 1973 after the folding of the Charlottetown Islanders in 1972. The league was promoted to Junior A in 1973. Most of the teams originated from the Island Junior B Hockey League, except for the Charlottetown Abbies who played the previous season in the Central New Brunswick Junior B Hockey League. In its early years, their champions would play
1296-664: Was played as a round-robin tournament between five teams. In May 1996, the inaugural Royal Bank Cup was held in Melfort, Saskatchewan . The first winner of the Royal Bank Cup was the Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League . In 2018, the championship was renamed the National Junior A Championship after the Royal Bank of Canada dropped their sponsorship of the event. With the national championship scheduled to return to Manitoba for its 50th anniversary in 2020, Hockey Canada and
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