Portage Terriers - History

History

The Portage Terriers have won the Turnbull Cup as Manitoba Junior Hockey League Champion eight times: 1942, 1973, 1990, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012.

In 1942, the Terriers were MJHL champions, they moved on to conquer the Western Canadian Junior title, the Abbott Cup as well. Later that year, they went to Winnipeg, Manitoba to host and ultimately defeat the Ontario Hockey Association's Oshawa Generals to win the team's only Memorial Cup as Canadian Junior Hockey Champions.

Roster: Staff Sgt. Addie Bell (Coach), Joe Bell, Gordon Bell (Goal), Billy Gooden, Lin Bend, Jack MacDonald (Captain), Wally Stefaniw, Bobby Love, Oliver "Bud" Ritchie, Bill Heindl Sr., Jack O'Reilly, Joe Ledoux, Lloyd Smith and Don Campbell.

The 1942 Portage Terriers were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category.

The Memorial Cup is now the Canadian Major Junior Championship, and as of 1970 the Terriers were relegated to Tier II Junior "A".

This long running Manitoba franchise won the Anavet Cup and Abbott Cup in 1973. In 1973, the Terriers defeated the SJHL's Humboldt Broncos to win the Prairie regional and the Penticton Broncos to win the Western Canadian Championship. This moved them along to the Centennial Cup 1973 Final against the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Junior A Hockey League. The Terriers defeated the Lumber Kings 4-games-to-1 to clinch their only Tier II National title.

The 1973 Portage Terriers were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category.

It seems that in the early 1980s, the Terriers or a team affiliated with the Terriers won the 1984 Keystone Cup as Western Canadian Junior "B" Champions.

In 2005, the Terriers defeated the Selkirk Steelers to win the MJHL Championship and then the Terriers defeated the Yorkton Terriers to win another Anavet Cup. This earned them a berth to the Royal Bank Cup 2005 tournament. The Terriers finished the round robin with a 1-3 record and were eliminated from playoff contention.

In the summer of 2006 before the team's 40 year Anniversary Head Coach and General Manager Don MacGillivray announces that he was stepping down as Head Coach and General Manager to take the Head Coaching job at the University of Manitoba.

MacGillivray compiled a Regular Season Record Of 293 Wins, 167 Losses, and 48 Ties for a winning percentage of .577 with the Terriers. In the playoffs, MacGillivray guided Portage to consecutive division titles in 2004 and 2005. The Terriers won the 2005 MJHL Championship, along with the Anavet Cup.

Blake Spiller was announced as the team's new Head Coach and General Manager after spending 5 years as Assistant Coach for Don. Blake also captained the team in the 1982-1983 season.

In 2008, Portage defeated the Winnipeg Saints to win the MJHL Championship 4 games to 1; The Terriers lost the Anavet Cup series in 4 straight games to the SJHL Champion Humboldt Broncos.

In 2009, the Terriers defeated the Selkirk Steelers to win their first back-to-back MJHL championships in team history, winning the series 4 games to 1. The Terriers lost the Avavet Cup series 4 games to 3 against the Humboldt Broncos for the second time in two years.

In 2010, the Terriers started a new era when they moved into the Portage Credit Union Centre, leaving their long-time home, the Portage Centennial Arena. Their first season in the new surroundings proved to be incredibly successful. The team finished first overall in the regular season and claimed the 2011 Turnbull Cup on home ice, beating the Selkirk Steelers 4 games to 1. They followed that up by winning the Anavet Cup against the SJHL champion La Ronge Ice Wolves in a thrilling game seven win on home ice.

Longtime members of the MJHL's Sherwood Division, the Terriers will switch to the Addison Division starting in 2011-12. Terriers management requested the move in order to significantly cut travel costs.

During their first year in the Addison Division the Terriers would finish 1st place during the regular season. Portage would make the finals for the second round in a row. They ended up beating the Winnipeg Saints in 5 games. It was the 2nd straight Turnbull Cup and the 4th in 5 years.