The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Selkirk Steelers and Portage Terriers will be seeking their first Manitoba Junior Hockey League championship since 1987 and 1990, respectively. Selkirk and Portage will play a best-of-seven series for the Ollie Turnbull Memorial Trophy after winning the Addison Division and Sherwood Division championship, respectively. Selkirk beat the Winnipeg Saints 4-2 in a best-of-seven division final after finishing first in the division, and second overall, during the regular schedule. Portage rallied to defeat the Swan Valley Stampeders 4-2 in a similar division final after sweeping the five-time champion OCN Blizzard in a best-of-seven division semi-final. Matt Johnson tied for fourth in the league in scoring as Selkirk had a 44-18-1 record and one overtime loss, for 90 points in 64 regular-season games. Johnson accumulated 57 assists and 87 points in 59 games. Teammate Travis Kornelson tied for ninth in the league with 75 points, including 47 assists, in 54 games. Steven Sleep of Selkirk was 12th in the league with 72 points, including 50 assists, in 60 games. Selkirk veteran Steve Lajoie leads league playoff scorers with 14 assists and 18 points in 13 games. Teammate Dustin Hughes is third among league playoff scorers with 16 points, including 10 assists, in 13 games. Sleep is tied for fourth among league playoff scorers with 14 points, including 10 assists, in 11 games. Selkirk goalie Dustin Harris was sixth in the league with a 3.25 goals against average in 1,753 minutes during the regular season. Harris had two shutouts and a 21-8-1 won-lost-tied record. Harris is second among league playoff goalies with a 2.64 goals against average in 522 minutes. He leads league playoff goalies with a 6-2 won-lost record. Portage was 30 points behind OCN and 20 points behind Selkirk during the regular schedule. The Terriers were fourth in the division and sixth overall, at 32-26-4 and two overtime losses. Clifford Ketchen of Portage was second in the league with 62 assists and third in the league with 91 points in 61 regular-season games. David Phillips of Portage was 11th in the league with 73 points, including 48 assists, in 48 games. Andrew Jackman leads Portage and is fifth among league playoff scorers with 11 points, including five goals, in 10 games. Portage rookie Stefan Drew was fourth among league goalies with a 3.11 goals against average in 1,874 minutes during the regular schedule. Drew had a 17-13-1 won-lost-tied record. Drew leads league playoff goalies with a 2.43 goals against average and .923 saves percentage in 346 minutes. He has one shutout. Veteran Anthony Marshall of Portage is third among league playoff goalies with a 2.83 goals against average in 254 minutes. He has a .915 saves percentage and 4-0 won-lost record. Selkirk won the league championship eight times between 1974 and 1987. The Steelers were the 1974 Centennial Cup national junior 'A' champions. Portage won the league championship in 1973 and 1990. The Terriers were the first Centennial Cup champions from the league, in 1973. The Manitoba champion will play the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champion in a best-of-seven series for the Anavet Cup. The Anavet Cup champion will advance to the Royal Bank Cup national junior 'A' championship May 8-16 in Grande Prairie, Alberta.
