Local teams savour Capital Cup

Posted Jan 19, 2012 By Dan Plouffe

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Cumberland was one of several local teams that got the chance to take on the Korean Eagles, left, at the Bell Capital Cup in the atom house A division.

Dan Plouffe, Orleans EMC

Cumberland was one of several local teams that got the chance to take on the Korean Eagles, left, at the Bell Capital Cup in the atom house A division.

EMC sports - From trading pins with foreign friends to playing for division championships on the ice at Scotiabank Place, area hockey teams created a truckload of lasting memories at this year's edition of the Bell Capital Cup.

"A lot of guys who are now playing in the National Hockey League have fond memories of it," says Mike Eastwood, a former NHLer himself who coached the Kanata Blazers to the final of the minor atom AAA competition. "For these kids, they know all that and they grew up in Kanata with this tournament right before their eyes every Christmas and now they get a chance to play in it.

"To make it to the finals is something they're going to take with them and remember for the rest of their lives."

Arenas across the city were buzzing throughout the event, which ran from Dec. 28 through Jan. 1, as 410 atom and peewee teams competed in 19 divisions at the 13th annual tournament, including a record 15 teams from overseas who were all hosted by local participants.

And of course there was the action on the ice as teams played multiple games each day, plus all-star contests and skills competitions.

The Nepean Raiders won the highest level championship out of area teams by capturing the minor peewee AAA division crown, while the Stittsville Rams were best in the major atom event.

"The organizers do a great job," says Ottawa West Golden Knights coach Rob Vandenberg. "It's really well-run and it's a highlight of the season every year."

On top of playing in the final at Scotiabank Place, home of the Ottawa Senators, a big highlight that sticks out for Vandenberg was the all-star game where he got to work with a German Eagles coach and hear a little about that club's experience.

The German team featured some of the best players from several different cities and came together just a week before the tournament started.

The Ottawa Ice earned the area's best result on the girls' side, reaching the Atom 'AA' semi-final where they dropped a 3-2 double-overtime contest to division champion Whitby, Ont.