Portage Terriers

The Portage Terriers are a Canadian junior "A" ice hockey team from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

History
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.

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. 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. 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. 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.

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.

The 1942 and 1972-73 Portage Terriers have been inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame under the team category.

Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Playoffs

 * 1971 Lost quarter-final
 * Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2


 * 1972 Lost semi-final
 * Portage Terriers defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-1
 * Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none


 * 1973 Won League, won Man/Sask Championship, won Abbott Cup, won 1973 Centennial Cup
 * 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


 * 1974 Lost semi-final
 * Portage Terriers defeated Brandon Travellers 4-games-to-2
 * Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3


 * 1975 Lost semi-final
 * Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-none
 * Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 1976 Lost quarter-final
 * Brandon Travellers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 1977 DNQ
 * 1978 Lost quarter-final
 * Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none


 * 1979 Lost semi-final
 * 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


 * 1982 Lost quarter-final
 * Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none


 * 1983 Lost quarter-final
 * Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none


 * 1984 Lost quarter-final
 * 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


 * 1988 Lost final
 * 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


 * 1989 Lost quarter-final
 * Selkirk Steelers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3


 * 1990 Won League, lost Anavet Cup
 * 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


 * 1991 Lost quarter-final
 * Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 1992 Lost semi-final
 * Portage Terriers defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-1
 * Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 1993 Lost semi-final
 * Portage Terriers defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-none
 * Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 1994 Lost quarter-final
 * Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 1995 Lost quarter-final
 * Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none


 * 1996 Lost quarter-final
 * Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3


 * 1997 Lost quarter-final
 * OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 1998 Lost quarter-final
 * OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2


 * 1999 Lost quarter-final
 * Winkler Flyers defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2


 * 2000 Lost quarter-final
 * Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none


 * 2001 Lost quarter-final
 * Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3


 * 2002 Lost semi-final
 * Portage Terriers defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-1
 * OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3


 * 2003 Lost semi-final
 * Portage Terriers defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-3
 * OCN Blizzard defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 2004 Lost final
 * 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


 * 2005 Won League, won Anavet Cup, lost in 2005 Royal Bank Cup round robin
 * 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)


 * 2006 Lost quarter-final
 * Dauphin Kings defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2


 * 2007 Lost quarter-final
 * Neepawa Natives defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3


 * 2008 Won League, lost Anavet Cup
 * 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


 * 2009 Won League, lost Anavet Cup
 * 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


 * 2010 Lost quarter-final
 * Swan Valley Stampeders defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-1


 * 2011 Won League, won Anavet Cup, lost in 2011 Royal Bank Cup round robin
 * 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)


 * 2012 Won League, lost in 2012 Royal Bank Cup round robin
 * 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)


 * 2013 Lost quarter-final
 * Steinbach Pistons defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3


 * 2014 Lost quarter-final
 * 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)


 * 2018 Lost quarter-final
 * Winnipeg Blues defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2


 * 2019 Won League, won Anavet Cup, lost in 2019 National Junior A Championship round robin
 * 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)


 * 2020 Playoffs cancelled
 * Portage Terriers leading Dauphin Kings 2-games-to-1 when playoffs were cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic''


 * 2021 Playoffs cancelled
 * 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

 * E. A. Gilroy, manager of the Terriers for the 1938–39 season

Notable alumni

 * Lin Bend
 * Rick Blight
 * Bryan Hextall
 * Jason Kasdorf
 * Junior Lessard
 * Dave McDonald
 * Curt Ridley
 * Black Jack Stewart
 * J. P. Vigier