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Saturday, April 4th 2009

Dream matchup
Top two regular-season teams begin ch'ship series Sunday

SUMMERSIDE
JASON SIMMONDS
The Journal Pioneer

It shouldn't get any better than this.
Two teams separated by only two points, all four head-to-head meetings in the regular season decided by one goal, with two going to a shootout, and a Maritime Junior 'A' Hockey League championship at stake.
Welcome to the Kent Cup final between the Summerside Western Capitals and Truro Bearcats.
"It's a great matchup for the league because there's not a lot to choose between the teams," said Capitals head coach Kenny MacDougall. "We finished with 80 points and they finished with 78.
"We're both division winners and that's the way it's supposed to be."
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is at Credit Union Place on Sunday at 7 p.m.
"Those numbers mean not a thing now," said Truro general manager and head coach Shawn Evans. "From our end, we have to play Bearcat hockey to have a chance and it's as simple as that. We know that Summerside is an excellent hockey team."
This will be the second time in three years the Caps and Bearcats have clashed for league supremacy. The Bearcats won the 2007 series in six games, clinching the title at a jam-packed Credit Union Place.
Despite only meeting four times in the regular season, is there a bit of a rivalry developing between the two teams, based on their past playoff history?
"It's a respectful one," answered Evans. "We still have a handful of guys left from that year (2007) and so does Summerside.
"I'm assuming the (Mike) MacIsaacs, (Josh) McKinnons and those guys have some revenge on their mind, and I can respect that."
The Capitals have eight players in their final year of junior 'A' eligibility, and the fact they have a chance to go out a winner is not lost on them.
"We definitely recognize that the opportunity is here for us," said Capitals forward Nathan Snowie. "We're trying to step our game up in the playoffs and we feel we've done that so far the best we can."
The Caps are 8-0 in post-season play after sweeping Dieppe and Miramichi. Truro eliminated Pictou County in five games and needed six games to beat Amherst for the Maurice Bent Division title.
"I always wanted to win a championship, especially being a 20-year-old here," said Caps forward Chad Locke. "There's a lot of guys in that room who haven't won a championship before, and I hope we can get it done.
"It's my last year of junior and that's always in the back of your mind."
The winning team will advance to the Fred Page Cup Eastern Canadian junior 'A' championship in Moncton, N.B., from April 22 to 26.