History
edit
The Portage Terriers were founded in 1932. Ten years later the Terriers won the Turnbull Cup as Manitoba junior champions and went on to defeat the Oshawa Generals to win the Memorial Cup . Their roster included Joe Bell , Gordon Bell , Billy Gooden , Lin Bend , Jack MacDonald , Wally Stefaniw, Bobby Love, Oliver "Bud" Ritchie, Bill Heindl Sr. , Jack O'Reilly, Joe Ledoux, Lloyd Smith and Don Campbell.[1]
A shortage of players following World War II forced the Terriers to cease operations in 1947. The Portage Terriers would be reborn twenty years later as members of the new Central Manitoba Junior Hockey League . The CMJHL lasted only one season before it merged with the MJHL.[2] The Terriers became a Junior 'A' club following the reorganization of Canadian junior hockey in 1970. In 1972-73, the Terriers won the ANAVET Cup as Manitoba-Saskatchewan champions and Abbott Cup as Western Canadian champions, and then defeated the Pembroke Lumber Kings to win the 1973 Centennial Cup .
The team endured some tough years following their Centennial Cup appearance and it was not until 1989 that the Terriers would recapture the league title. Since the mid-2000s, the Terriers have been the MJHL's most dominant franchise, winning nine Turnbull Cups , three ANAVET Cups, and one national championship (2015 ).
During the 2014-15 season, the Terriers set a new league record by posting a winning percentage of .917 during the regular season, after which they went undefeated through the playoffs to capture the Turnbull Cup.[3] The Terriers finished second at the Western Canada Cup and then moved on to host the 2015 Royal Bank Cup in Portage la Prairie, where they captured the national title with a victory over the Carleton Place Canadians in the championship game.[4] The 2020 national championship , rechristened as the Centennial Cup, was also to be played in Portage la Prairie but cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic .[5]
The Terriers have played at Stride Place, originally named the Portage Credit Union Centre, since 2010. Prior to this, the Terriers played at the Portage Centennial Arena . The team's head coach and general manager is Blake Spiller, who has held the position since 2006. Spiller is the winningest coach in the team's history.[6]
The 1942 and 1972-73 Portage Terriers have been inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame under the team category.[1] [7]
List of championships
edit
Championship
Years Won
Turnbull Cup
1942, 1973, 1990, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
Abbott Cup
1942, 1973
Memorial Cup
1942
ANAVET Cup
1973, 2005, 2011, 2019
Royal Bank/Centennial Cup
1973 , 2015
Season-by-season record
edit
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Season
GP
W
L
T
OTL
GF
GA
Points
Finish
Playoffs
1967-68
23
6
17
0
-
72
147
12
4th CMJHL
1968-69
34
3
28
3
-
104
236
9
8th MJHL
1969-70
34
12
20
2
-
127
156
26
6th MJHL
1970-71
48
27
15
6
-
163
158
60
2nd MJHL
1971-72
48
33
14
1
-
266
193
67
2nd MJHL
1972-73
48
32
16
0
-
280
187
62
1st MJHL
Won League, won AC, won AbC, won MCC
1973-74
48
29
18
1
-
255
201
59
4th MJHL
1974-75
48
25
22
1
-
223
209
51
4th MJHL
1975-76
52
25
27
0
-
236
245
50
7th MJHL
1976-77
52
17
35
0
-
214
287
34
10th MJHL
1977-78
52
18
33
1
-
244
335
37
8th MJHL
1978-79
48
26
22
0
-
267
289
52
4th MJHL
1979-80
44
5
37
2
-
186
399
12
9th MJHL
1980-81
48
20
27
1
-
240
271
41
5th MJHL
1981-82
48
15
32
1
-
215
288
31
7th MJHL
1982-83
48
23
24
1
-
259
254
47
6th MJHL
1983-84
48
10
38
0
-
156
371
20
8th MJHL
1984-85
48
6
42
0
-
184
370
12
9th MJHL
1985-86
48
12
35
1
-
209
326
25
9th MJHL
1986-87
47
27
20
0
-
299
245
54
5th MJHL
1987-88
48
27
21
0
-
293
278
54
4th MJHL
1988-89
48
28
19
1
-
276
232
57
4th MJHL
1989-90
52
43
9
0
-
352
194
86
1st MJHL
Won League
1990-91
48
23
25
0
-
268
267
46
5th MJHL
1991-92
48
29
18
0
1
310
203
59
4th MJHL
1992-93
48
34
12
2
0
282
188
70
1st MJHL
1993-94
56
31
24
1
0
--
--
63
4th MJHL
1994-95
56
24
27
1
4
218
249
53
6th MJHL
1995-96
56
34
20
1
1
255
196
70
3rd MJHL
Lost quarter-final
1996-97
56
31
22
2
1
243
200
65
3rd MJHL
Lost quarter-final
1997-98
62
39
17
5
1
271
204
84
3rd MJHL
1998-99
62
42
16
2
2
310
214
88
2nd MJHL
1999-00
64
34
23
-
7
291
254
75
5th MJHL
2000-01
64
36
23
-
5
226
210
77
4th MJHL
2001-02
64
43
19
-
2
275
169
88
3rd MJHL
2002-03
64
44
12
-
8
331
181
96
2nd MJHL
2003-04
64
32
26
-
6
232
230
70
6th MJHL
Lost final
2004-05
63
39
18
-
6
237
191
84
1st MJHL
Won League, won AC
2005-06
63
23
30
-
10
196
218
56
8th MJHL
Lost quarter-final
2006-07
62
34
20
-
8
271
231
76
5th MJHL
Lost quarter-final
2007-08
62
42
15
-
5
278
188
89
3rd MJHL
Won League
2008-09
62
46
13
-
3
287
175
95
2nd MJHL
Won League
2009-10
62
35
17
-
10
223
173
80
2nd MJHL
Lost quarter-final
2010-11
62
40
15
-
7
227
164
87
1st MJHL
Won League, won AC
2011-12
62
42
15
-
5
266
189
89
1st MJHL
Won League
2012-13
60
32
27
-
1
188
188
65
6th MJHL
Lost quarter-final
2013-14
60
36
16
-
8
206
155
80
4th MJHL
Lost quarter-final
2014-15
60
53
3
-
4
285
120
110
1st MJHL
Won League, Won RBC
2015-16
60
52
6
-
2
276
123
106
1st MJHL
Won League
2016-17
60
37
19
-
4
256
198
78
5th MJHL
Won League
2017-18
60
38
16
-
6
251
163
78
3rd MJHL
Lost quarter-final
2018-19
60
46
11
-
3
277
150
95
1st MJHL
Won League, won AC
2019-20
60
44
14
-
2
240
145
90
2nd MJHL
Cancelled
2020-21
8
4
3
-
1
25
25
9
5th MJHL
Cancelled
2021-22
54
23
24
-
7
169
186
53
8th MJHL
DNQ
2022-23
58
43
11
-
4
181
206
86
1st MJHL
Lost-Semi-final
Playoffs
edit
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-1
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS
Portage Terriers defeated Humboldt Broncos (SJHL ) 3-games-to-2 and a default MAN/SASK CHAMPIONS
Portage Terriers defeated Penticton Broncos (BCJHL ) 4-games-to-3 ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS
Portage Terriers defeated Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL ) 4-games-to-1 CENTENNIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
Portage Terriers defeated Brandon Travellers 4-games-to-2
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-none
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Brandon Travellers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
1977 DNQ
1978 Lost quarter-final
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-3
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
1980 DNQ
1981 Lost quarter-final
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
1985 DNQ
1986 DNQ
1987 Lost quarter-final
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-1
Winnipeg South Blues defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Portage Terriers defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Kildonan North Stars 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS
Nipawin Hawks (SJHL ) defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2
Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-1
Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-none
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2
Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Portage Terriers defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-1
OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Portage Terriers defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-3
OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated OCN Blizzard 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-2
Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated OCN Blizzard 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-2 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Portage Terriers defeated Yorkton Terriers (SJHL ) 4-games-to-2 ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS
Fifth and eliminated in 2005 Royal Bank Cup round robin (1-3)
Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2
Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Portage Terriers defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-3
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Winnipeg Saints 4-games-to-1 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Humboldt Broncos defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Waywayseecappo Wolverines 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Humboldt Broncos defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Swan Valley Stampeders defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1
Portage Terriers defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Portage Terriers defeated La Ronge Ice Wolves 4-games-to-3 ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS
Fifth and eliminated from 2011 Royal Bank Cup round robin (1-3)
Portage Terriers defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-0
Portage Terriers defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated Winnipeg Saints 4-games-to-1 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Humboldt Broncos defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Fifth and eliminated from 2012 Royal Bank Cup round robin (1-3)
Steinbach Pistons defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Steinbach Pistons defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
2015 Won League , WCC Runner-up , Won Royal Bank Cup
Portage Terriers defeated Waywayseecappo Wolverines 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Virden Oil Capitals 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS
Second in the 2015 Western Canada Cup round robin (3-1)
Penticton Vees defeated Portage Terriers 4-3 in WCC final
Portage Terriers defeated Melfort Mustangs 4-2 in WCC runner-up game
First in the 2015 Royal Bank Cup round robin (3-1)
Portage Terriers defeated Melfort Mustangs 6-1 in semi-final
Portage Terriers defeated Carleton Place Canadians 5-2 in final ROYAL BANK CUP CHAMPIONS
2016 Won League, lost in WCC runner-up game
Portage Terriers defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-none
Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-1 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Fourth in the 2016 Western Canada Cup round robin (2-1-1)
Melfort Mustangs defeated Portage Terriers 3-2 in runner-up game
2017 Won League, lost in WCC round robin
Portage Terriers defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated OCN Blizzard 4-games-to-2 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Fifth and eliminated from 2017 Western Canada Cup round robin (1-3)
Winnipeg Blues defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2
Portage Terriers defeated Waywayseecappo Wolverines 4-games-to-0
Portage Terriers defeated Virden Oil Capitals 4-games-to-0
Portage Terriers defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-3 MJHL CHAMPIONS
Portage Terriers defeated Battlefords North Stars 4-games-to-1 ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS
Fifth and eliminated from 2019 National Junior A Championship round robin (0-4)
Portage Terriers leading Dauphin Kings 2-games-to-1 when playoffs were cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [8]
2021 Playoffs cancelled [9]
2022 DNQ
2023 Lost semi-final
Portage Terriers defeated Niverville Nighthawks 4-games-to-1
Virden Oil Capitals defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3
Notable executives
edit
Notable alumni
edit
See also
edit
External links
edit
Terriers Webpage
1942 Portage Terriers at Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
1973 Portage Terriers at Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
References
edit
^ a b "1942 Portage Terriers". Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
^ "Portage Terriers" ("Traditional Overview"). 2015-04-04. Archived from the original on 2013-07-05. Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
^ "Terriers end memorable regular season with a win". Portage Daily Graphic. 2015-03-03.
^ "Terriers to host 2015 Royal Bank Cup". Chilliwack Progress. Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
^ "Hockey Canada statement on spring 2021 national championships". Hockey Canada. 2020-02-15.
^ "Year In Review: Portage Terriers". PortageOnline.com. Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
^ "1972-73 Portage Terriers". Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
^ "MJHL COVID-19 Update: 2020 MJHL Playoffs". MJHL. Retrieved March 12, 2020 .
^ "MJHL cancels remainder for the 2020-21 season". Discover Westman. February 12, 2021.
^ "Portage Club Favors Return Of Ade Johnson". Winnipeg Tribune . Winnipeg, Manitoba. May 19, 1938. p. 19.