The defending Royal Bank Cup champion Humboldt Broncos dropped a 5-0 decision to the Eastern champion Summerside Western Capitals in a game that had zero meaning tournament wise, as no matter what, Humboldt was guaranteed 2nd place and a date with the host Victoria Grizzlies on Friday.
Humboldt head coach Dean Brockman, showing his coaching skills, decided to rest the teams top players in favour of the younger group of Broncos who had not seen any icetime up to this point in the tournament. A smart move on Brockman's part, avoiding the possibility of an injury to his best players and getting the youngsters some playing time and experience in a national championship tournament.
The Summerside Western Capitals took advantage of a less experienced Humboldt squad, outshooting them 9-1 and outscoring them 4-0 in the first frame. Caps goals came from Mike MacIsaac, Chad Locke, Nathan Snowie and Brad Smith. The latter two coming just 20 seconds apart. Humboldt hit a few posts in the first period, much like they have done all throughout the period, as the Caps carried a 4-0 lead into the first intermission.
The second period was much more even. Summerside once again had the lead on the shot clock, outshooting the Broncos 14-11 in period 2, but both goalies were up to the challenge as neither let a puck slip past them. Things did get a little chippy roughly midway through the period when Humboldt's Brendan Kotyk picked up a slashing penalty and Summerside's Spencer MacDonald received 2 minutes for tripping and 2 for roughing, but referee Jonathan Trudel got things back under his control and nothing more came of it. After two periods of play the score remained 4-0 in favour of Summerside.
Matt Hyrnkiw relieved Broncos netminder Andrew Bodnarchuk to start the 3rd period, giving Hyrnkiw his first and likely only action of the tournament. Hyrnkiw did a good job preventing the Caps from scoring until the man who started the scoring for Summerside ended it as MacIsaac scored his 2nd goal of the game and 3rd of the tournament at the 16:07 mark of the third. That was all she wrote, as the Summerside Western Capitals end their 2009 Royal Bank Cup run with a 5-0 win, but fail to qualify for the playoffs.
Summerside has 8 players graduating from Junior hockey, and best of luck to them in whatever they choose to do.
The next action for the Humboldt Broncos is Friday, May 8th at 8:00pm Saskatchewan time when they take on the host Victoria Grizzlies in the semi finals of the Royal Bank Cup. Vernon takes on Kingston in the other game at 3.
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