Matteo Gennaro is going out with a bang in the swan-song season of his junior hockey career.
The St. Albert product played a major role in the Swift Current Broncos winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the right to represent the Western Hockey League in the Memorial Cup.
“It’s quite the way to end off your junior career on a really high note,” said Gennaro, a 21-year-old centreman in his fifth WHL season. “It’s a pretty historic thing we did and we’re not done yet. We’re still really excited to go to Regina and hopefully win the Memorial Cup.”
The first WHL championship in 25 years for the Broncos was celebrated in Sunday’s 3-0 game six playoff clincher against the Everett Silvertips in Swift Current.
“It’s amazing. It was definitely something our team thought we could accomplish and we really wanted that trophy badly,” said Gennaro of the 26-game playoff grind that include two game seven series after the Broncos finished second in the WHL standings with 48 wins and 103 points. “It was an awesome journey. We dealt with a ton of adversity throughout that playoff run. There were many things that kind of stood in the way but we have a really resilient group so it was a huge accomplishment.”
The Broncos ride the wave of momentum into Regina for the 100th Canadian Hockey League championship.
“We did have the Memorial Cup in mind as our end goal so we definitely had to play hard and do the right things to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup and we accomplished that so we're on the right track,” Gennaro said. “It’s going to be a huge tournament, a huge event. There is going to be a lot of background noise and distractions going on and our group talked about being focused on what we can control and just try and shut out all the outside influences and focus on our team and focus on playing and just enjoy it and embrace the moment so that’s kind of our mindset heading into the tournament.”
The Broncos are in action today against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Monday against the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League and Wednesday against the Regina Pats.
Josh Mahura, a teammate of Gennaro with the 2011/12 bantam AAA St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres, anchors the Pats’ blueline.
“Josh is a really good friend of mine. It was cool playing against each other in the first round of the playoffs. It’s always fun playing a buddy of yours, another fellow St. Albert kid, which is a huge accomplishment for the city of St. Albert,” Gennaro said. “It’s really going to be a fun tournament and I’m sure he’s super excited with Regina as the host team. It’s going to be awesome.”
The Broncos went the distance with the Pats during a taxing back-and-forth opening playoff round.
“They’re a very good team. They play pretty similar to how we play. They’re a big, strong team with skill and they’ve got some experienced players so that was definitely a challenging series,” Gennaro said.
The next series against the first-place Moose Jaw Warriors (52 wins and 109 points) was another dogfight as all three games in Swift Current were decided in overtime before the 6-0 shutout in game seven at Moose Jaw.
“Knocking off a team like Regina and then Moose Jaw, both series going to a game seven and both quite gruelling, difficult series, it gave us confidence and added to the strength of our team,” Gennaro said. “There was a lot of adversity in both of those series and we kind of relished it and learned how to handle some situations and I think it was a big reason why we ended up winning.”
Gennaro finished the playoffs with nine goals, six on the power play, and 18 points and the biggest offensive outburst was the April 11 hat-trick performance in game four against the Warriors in Swift Current. The third goal on his 11th shot of the night was the 3-2 winner in double overtime to tie the series at two wins apiece.
Gennaro scored five goals overall against the Warriors and in the WHL final recorded one goal and five assists against the Silvertips.
Swift Current is Gennaro’s third WHL team after playing 174 games with the Prince Albert Raiders and 119 with the Calgary Hitmen before joining the Broncos in the Nov. 25 transaction that included forward Beck Malenstyn going as well to the Broncos for three roster players – forwards’ Connor Chaulk and Riley Stotts and defenceman Dom Schmiemann – and a pair of prospects, forward Josh Prokop and netminder Ethan Hein, as well as draft picks exchanged.
Gennaro was the captain of the rebuilding Hitmen and the previous season was the recipient of the Hitmen Player of the Year Award with a team-leading 80 points and his 43 goals tied for sixth in the WHL.
“I definitely wanted to win as a 20-year-old guy, it’s your last year of junior hockey so you definitely want to be involved in that team that is making a push and trying to win, so it was really exciting for me hearing that I was getting traded to a contending team,” said Gennaro, who produced 14 goals, seven on the power play, and 25 points in 24 games this season with the Hitmen before relocating to Swift Current.
“I loved my time in Calgary. I met so many great people there, friends and relationships, and the organization is top notch so I have nothing bad to say about that," Gennaro added. "I was pretty pleased with how it was all handled. They did it very respectfully. This was a chance for me to go win a championship.
"Looking back, it was the most pivotal point in my career so I’m just really thankful it all worked out.”
The 2012/13 midget AAA St. Albert Raider rolled up 28 goals, including nine on the power play, and 54 points in 45 games with the Broncos.
Overall, his 42 goals in 67 games was 11th best in the WHL and finished tied for 33rd place in league scoring with 79 points.
“For the circumstances I was dealt with - being traded during the season is an adjustment and you kind of have to get your bearings again and get comfortable with your new setup in your new home, your new billet family, your new teammates and coaches – overall I was pretty happy with how the season went for me statistically and off the ice and I was pleased with how I handed it all. The new people I've met and the relationships I've made, it was definitely a great year for me and I’m really happy with how it's all worked out and now, moving forward I’m focusing on the Memorial Cup here and trying to win that tournament and hopefully earn myself an NHL contact,” said Gennaro, who attended the Ottawa Senators’ rookie camp last fall after the Winnipeg Jets drafted the St. Albert Catholic High School graduate in the seventh round, 203rd overall, in 2015.
Gennaro’s regular season career totals are 124 goals, 248 points and 225 penalty minutes in 338 games.
The head coach/director of player personnel of the Broncos is Emanuel Viveiros of St. Albert, the 2018 WHL Coach of the Year in his second season in Swift Current.
The 1985/86 WHL Player of the Year as a defenceman with the Raiders also won a WHL championship and Memorial Cup in 1985 at Prince Albert.
Viveiros spent several years in Europe, the majority in Austria, before switching to coaching after retiring early in the 2006/07 season because of a back injury.
Viveiros was also the head coach of the Austrian national team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
“The first thing I noticed about Manny is he truly cares about his players and as good a coach as he is on the ice he's a better person. It's really awesome to be involved with a team that the coach cares that much and treats us all as he can with the utmost respect so I've really enjoyed my time playing for him. It's been a great thing for me and I’ve learned a lot from him. He’s an awesome guy and an awesome coach,” Gennaro said.
