Summerside Western Capitals

Hockey team
team = Summerside Western Capitals

logosize = 150px
city = Summerside, Prince Edward Island
league = Maritime Junior A Hockey League
founded = 1981
arena = Consolidated Credit Union Place
colours = Blue, Silver, and White
coach = Scott Bridges
GM = Gabe Keough
parentclub =
farmclub =
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The Summerside Capitals are a Tier-II Junior "A" hockey team based out of Summerside, Prince Edward Island. They play out of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. The team currently plays their home games at the Consolidated Credit Union Place, but played at the Cahill Stadium for every other season.

History

The Capitals started out in the Island Junior Hockey League. Thus, the reference to 'western' in the original team name, Summerside is in the Western end of PEI. They hosted the Centennial Cup 1989 on behalf of the IJHL. This team was coached by former NHL coach, General Manager, & former Team President of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Doug MacLean, a Summerside native.

The Capitals joined the MJAHL in 1991. In 1997 they hosted the Royal Bank Cup and won it on home ice at the Cahill Stadium, becoming the first team in Eastern Canada to win the national Tier II junior championship, Royal Bank Cup. This team was coached by former Detroit Red Wings assistant captain, & current assistant coach of the New York Islanders, Gerard Gallant, a Summerside native.

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 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 and in the 2006-07 season they won 24 games in a row including the divisional rounds of the playoffs before losing in the division final 4-2 against the Truro Bearcats.

Since 2001, the Capitals have been owned by a private ownership group consisting of local individuals.

eason-by-Season Record

ee also

*List of ice hockey teams in Prince Edward Island