Western Capitals Win Two Straight, Down Crushers 5-2

By Reegan MacAulay

From starting the regular season 0-2 to earning two consecutive wins, the Summerside Western Capitals have built momentum just in time for their 46th Home Opener.

The Western Capitals defeated the Pictou County Weeks Crushers 5-2 on Thursday, September 24, at Pictou County Wellness Centre in New Glasgow, N.S., wrapping up their season-opening four-game road swing with a 2-2 record.

Summerside visited Pictou County for the first of two meetings between them in three days.

They quickly took control and got on the board first; rookie forward Eli Swain tipped a Matthew MacLean point shot in the low slot for his first career Maritime Hockey League goal, putting Summerside up 1-0.

Just 26 seconds later, the Crushers responded, with Brennan O’Donnell tying the game at 7:37. Rory Pilling recorded the lone assist.

In the closing minutes, the Western Capitals went on the power play following a fight between Gavin Smith and Michael Pilgrim; the latter received an instigator penalty.

Summerside converted, with rookie forward Declan MacLauchlan finishing a tic-tac-toe play initiated by Aidan Diamond and Lane Sim, putting the Capitals back up by one, 2-1 at 17:40.

The Western Capitals returned to the ice in the second period red-hot, with Owen MacPherson and MacLauchlan scoring within 30 seconds at 1:06 and 1:36.

Ryan Walsh cut the deficit in half with a power-play goal at 9:46, but roughly a minute and a half later, Justin Ouellette sniped a shot over Crushers netminder George Gallant from the left faceoff circle to bring Summerside’s lead back up by three. The Western Capitals went on to secure their second straight regular-season win, 5-2.

Vincent Gladu made his third start of the season and stopped 19 shots to earn his first win as a Western Capital. Summerside fired 31 shots at Gallant, who denied 26. The Western Capitals led 31-21 in shots.

With the victory, Summerside improved to 2-2-0-0 and will welcome Pictou County to Credit Union Place for a rematch in Saturday’s 46th Home Opener. The game will mark the Western Capitals’ first regular-season contest on home ice this season.

The puck drops at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, at Credit Union Place.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Fans can now secure their seats for the 2026–27 Summerside Western Capitals season.

Season tickets are on sale now at: sside.ca/Capitals-SeasonTickets

The Western Capitals look forward to welcoming fans back to Credit Union Place for another season of hockey.