COACH GIVES VOYAGEURS GOOD GRADES DESPITE PAIR OF EXHIBITION LOSSES

COACH GIVES VOYAGEURS GOOD GRADES DESPITE PAIR OF EXHIBITION LOSSES
September 26, 2024

LAC LA BICHE & CAMROSE – Five out of six, or, put another way, 83 percent. That's an "A" on the grading scale. Not bad for the start of the exhibition season. Not bad at all.

 

Portage College Voyageurs' Head Coach Kevin McClelland gave his players a "A" grade and an "A" for effort in a pair of home-and-home exhibition games against the Augustana Vikings this past weekend. Despite losing 3-0 on home ice on Friday night and 6-3 in Camrose 24 hours later, the four-time Stanley Cup champion liked five of the six periods he saw from his squad over the two games.

 

"The guys played well," said McClelland in his office at the Bold Center on Monday evening. "I thought our goaltending played well. I think our system work was good but, you know, we've got a little ways to go."

 

Friday night's clash was the definition of an even contest, with both teams working out some kinks but also generating some glorious scoring chances. The game was scoreless until late in the second period, when a mistake behind the Voyageurs' net led to Jacob Biensch's opening marker. From there, the Vikings ably protected the lead, aided by some stellar goaltending by Player of the Game Jack Osmond. An empty netter in the last minute and a marker 30 seconds later sealed the deal for the visitors. Luke Hall was equally strong in the Voyageur's cage and was named Player of the Game for the home team.

 

Saturday's rematch in Camrose was a higher scoring affair, but the Voyageurs – playing with a more rookie-laden lineup than the previous evening – were in it right until the third period, when the Vikings turned up the heat.

 

"We were 3-3 till the end of the second period and then they came at us hard in the third period and we didn't have a response," said McClelland. "I had a lot of new guys in there, so it was eye opening. They put a big push on us."

 

Biensch scored two and Player of the Game Jayven Leslie added two helpers for the Vikings. Mikal Chalifoux potted a pair of markers to claim Player of the Game honours for Portage.

 

The third period was the only one of the six played over two nights that McClelland wasn't particularly happy with.

 

"They were jumping their defence off the blue line and our guys got napping…Any time we did retrieve the puck our defencemen just made bad outlet plays or bad passes but in the same breath, our forwards didn't give them any options and weren't ready for offence," he said. "When you play like that, the other's team's gonna come at ya and they scored three goals and the game's over."

 

Still, big picture, the head coach was very pleased with his players' performance, particularly all three of his netminders.

 

"I liked all our goaltenders. All three played this weekend…and Hall played well (on Friday)…(Tresor) Wotton played well for the first half of the game in Augustana and (Ethan) Shebansky came in in a tough spot and played well too," said McClelland. "He's a young guy who's only played Junior B so a very, very bright spot there."

 

The Voyageurs have more than a week to work on improving their game before taking on Concordia University of Edmonton in another home-and-home set to wrap up the exhibition season on Oct. 4 and 5.

 

Sept. 20 Players of the Game

  • Augustana: #31 Jack Osmond (G)
  • Portage: #1 Luke Hall (G)

 

Sept. 21 Players of the Game