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Monday, April 6th 2009

Caps pitch shutout
In opening game of MJAHL championship series

SUMMERSIDE
JASON SIMMONDS
The Journal Pioneer

The Truro Bearcats may have a reputation of being a stingy defensive team, but the Summerside Western Capitals proved they can play that way, too.
The Capitals limited the Bearcats to 20 shots, including just 12 through the first two periods, en route to a 3-0 win in the opening game of the best-of-seven Kent Cup final in the Maritime Junior 'A' Hockey League on Sunday night.
"The home team was better than us and they deserved to win -- end of story," said Truro general manager and head coach Shawn Evans.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is in Truro on Tuesday, with Game 3 back in Summerside on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Before 3,389 lively fans at Credit Union Place, Alex Dupuis earned the shutout while Josh Currie, Spencer Corcoran and Bradley Smith scored for the Capitals, who improved to 9-0 (won-lost) in the playoffs.
"It was a great way for us to start," said Capitals head coach Kenny MacDougall. "The fan support was outstanding and it was great to see such a crowd.
"Both teams played hard and it's two good-skating teams. We were able to capitalize on our chances a little more than them."
Currie, 16, opened the scoring at 13:18 of the first period and that goal stood up as the winner. Currie made no mistake firing the puck over the left shoulder of Bearcats goaltender Richard Gagnon from the slot.
"I just dumped it in, Brett (Gallant) worked hard and got it to Smitty (Smith), and he sent it out front to me," explained Currie. "There was no one there and I just let go a quick shot."
Corcoran connected on the power play at 11:59 of the second period to make it 2-0. Corcoran unleashed a hard slapshot from the centre of the ice and the puck made its way through heavy traffic in front and beat Gagnon to his stick side.
The score remained 2-0 until Smith closed out the scoring with 53 seconds left in regulation time. Will Johnston won a battle along the left-wing boards, passed the puck to Smith in the slot and he made no mistake firing the puck over Gagnon's right shoulder.
"I felt tonight we had guys step up into different positions," said MacDougall. "Josh Currie stepped up in Mike MacIsaac's (spot) and when Brett Gallant went down with an injury, Will Johnston played an outstanding game taking that spot as well."
MacIsaac, who sat out a one-game suspension, will return for Game 2. Gallant was injured in the second period and didn't return. MacDougall confirmed it was an upper-body injury and the team captain was going to be examined at the hospital.