May 11 marks the 20th anniversary of the Western Capitals’ run to the 1997 Canadian junior A hockey championship in Summerside. The Caps became the first team east of Ontario to win that national title.
“I can say 20 years later we didn’t have the talent, but we had the perfect team,” said defenceman and team captain D’Arcy Hutchinson.
The P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) honoured the 1996-97 Capitals, who were sponsored by Hemphill Pontiac, at Credit Union Place recently.
“We didn’t have an overabundance of talent, but we had a bunch of guys who all believed in each other and worked together as a team,” offered Caps defenceman and assistant captain Evan Hickey. “We gave it our all, and the results were there at the right time.”
When asked if it seems like it’s been that long since that history-making Sunday night, Hutchinson chuckled, “Not at all, until today, you look around at all the grey hairs and then, ‘yes.’”
One thing the players have never forgotten is how the community rallied around the team.
“When I look back it was the atmosphere around Summerside,” recalled Steve Dyer, a forward and assistant captain. “You couldn’t go anywhere and everybody was wanting to know what the score of the game was the night before, and just the whole buildup of that year.”
Cahill Stadium
The Gerard (Turk) Gallant-coached Caps, who battled a bad flu bug during the Royal Bank Cup, had an unmatched ace in the hole – the friendly confines of their Notre Dame Street home.
“It had to be intimidating for other teams when they played in Cahill Stadium, and it got rocking the way it did,” said Dyer. “It had to be somewhat overwhelming for them, and we were used to it. The fans were a large motivating factor.”
May 11 marks the 20th anniversary of the Western Capitals’ run to the 1997 Canadian junior A hockey championship in Summerside. The Caps became the first team east of Ontario to win that national title.
“I can say 20 years later we didn’t have the talent, but we had the perfect team,” said defenceman and team captain D’Arcy Hutchinson.
The P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) honoured the 1996-97 Capitals, who were sponsored by Hemphill Pontiac, at Credit Union Place recently.
“We didn’t have an overabundance of talent, but we had a bunch of guys who all believed in each other and worked together as a team,” offered Caps defenceman and assistant captain Evan Hickey. “We gave it our all, and the results were there at the right time.”
When asked if it seems like it’s been that long since that history-making Sunday night, Hutchinson chuckled, “Not at all, until today, you look around at all the grey hairs and then, ‘yes.’”
One thing the players have never forgotten is how the community rallied around the team.
“When I look back it was the atmosphere around Summerside,” recalled Steve Dyer, a forward and assistant captain. “You couldn’t go anywhere and everybody was wanting to know what the score of the game was the night before, and just the whole buildup of that year.”
Cahill Stadium
The Gerard (Turk) Gallant-coached Caps, who battled a bad flu bug during the Royal Bank Cup, had an unmatched ace in the hole – the friendly confines of their Notre Dame Street home.
“It had to be intimidating for other teams when they played in Cahill Stadium, and it got rocking the way it did,” said Dyer. “It had to be somewhat overwhelming for them, and we were used to it. The fans were a large motivating factor.”
The 1996-97 season did not start off promising for the Caps, who won just two of their first six regular-season games. A lengthy winning streak followed, and the Caps began to find their stride.
“My biggest memory was actually when we won the Maritime championship in Dartmouth,” said Hickey. “Coming up on the Red Bridge on the way home and seeing the fire trucks leading us into a packed house at Cahill Stadium to celebrate that (around 11 o’clock on a Sunday night) really stands out. It goes back to the fans and support we had, and the team we had.”
Dyer, who has made Summerside his home, has many fond memories.
“For me coming from Ontario, where junior hockey doesn’t get a lot of recognition, to come here where everybody knows who you are was a great experience,” continued Dyer. “It was probably the best years of my life. . . You couldn’t have written a better storybook!”
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Facts
Some facts about 1996-97 Western Caps:
Finished tied for first place with Dartmouth in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. Both teams had 77 points, but Dartmouth was awarded first place due to one more win than the Caps. Dartmouth was 36-15-3-2 (won-lost-tied-overtime losses) while the Caps were 35-14-4-3.
In the playoffs, the Caps defeated Restigouche (Campbellton) in five games in Round 1, and then prevailed in two thrilling and intense seven-game series against arch-rival Charlottetown and Dartmouth. Due to weather, the Caps played 13 games in 16 days.
Already guaranteed a berth in the Royal Bank Cup national championship as the host team, the Caps went winless at the Fred Page Cup Eastern Canadian junior A hockey championship in Brockville, Ont.
After going 1-3 in round-robin play at the national championship, the Caps pulled off back-to-back 4-3 upsets over two of the highest-ranked junior A teams in Canada for most of the season. Goaltender Harlin Hayes faced over 50 shots and was outstanding while Mike White, who was set up by his brother Mark, scored in double overtime to give the Caps a stunning semifinal win over the Weyburn Red Wings. The following night James Chalmers broke a 3-3 tie at 12:14 of the third period to lift the Caps past the South Surrey Eagles in the championship game.
Stacy Smallman scored one of the biggest goals for the Caps that often gets overlooked in the semifinal game. Smallman’s goal off an Evan Hickey rebound with 1:08 remaining in the third period forced overtime against Weyburn.
Scores
Caps’ scores from 1997 Royal Bank Cup:
Round Robin
Caps 5 Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 1.
Kanata Valley Lasers 7 Caps 5.
Weyburn Red Wings 8 Caps 2.
South Surrey Eagles 3 Caps 2 (OT).
Semifinal
Caps 4 Weyburn 3 (2OT).
Final
Caps 4 South Surrey 3.
