HANNOUN AND STENERSON COMBINE FOR NINE POINTS, EAGLES HAMMER BEARCATS

SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – Demico Hannoun scored a hat trick and added an assist, and Michael Stenerson had a goal and four helpers as the Surrey Eagles made their 2013 RBC Cup debut a successful one, routing the Truro Bearcats 7-0 on Sunday afternoon.

It was the Eagles’ first game in Summerside since losing the final of the 1997 RBC Cup 4-3 to the host Western Capitals, and their first at Canada’s National Junior A Championship since winning the national title in 1998.

Brady Shaw added two goals and Stefan Burzan had one for Surrey (1-0), which had its biggest offensive output of the playoffs and its biggest overall since an 8-1 win over Coquitlam on March 8.

Shaw also had an assist for a three-point game, while Devon Toews and Craig Wyszomirski chipped in with two assists each. Michael Santaguida stopped all 24 shots he faced for the shutout.

It was the second straight lopsided loss for Truro (0-2), which dropped a 7-1 decision to the Brooks Bandits on Saturday in the tournament opener. The Bearcats are the first team to give up seven goals twice in one RBC Cup since Nepean in 2004, and the first to do it in back-to-back games since Summerside in 1997.

The story early was the Surrey power play, which converted three times in as many chances in the first 14 minutes, two off the stick of Hannoun and one from Shaw, to help the Eagles take a 4-0 lead after the first period.

Stenerson had the other Eagles goal in the opening 20 minutes, showing quick hands to tuck the puck around Truro netminder Shayne Campbell, who gave up three goals on six shots before giving way to Jacob Fancy.

Burzan made it 5-0 exactly halfway through the second period, batting in a loose puck at the side of the Truro net, before Shaw’s second of the game made it 6-0 heading to the second intermission.

Hannoun wrapped up his hat trick 82 seconds into the third period, tipping a Wyszomirski shot past Fancy.

The Eagles will look to make it two wins in a row to open the tournament when they meet the host Summerside Western Capitals in Monday’s lone game (7:30 p.m. AT), while the Bearcats see the ice next on Tuesday, when they take on the Minnesota Wilderness (3 p.m. AT).