KINGS CROWN VOYAGEURS TWICE TO WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON

LAC LA BICHE – "The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams." This line from a 1980 Black Sabbath hit song aptly summed up the final weekend of the 2024-25 hockey season for the Portage College Voyageurs February 21 and 22. Hoping to go out on a high note, the Voyageurs instead spent a lot of time in the sin bin and watched as the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings piled up the powerplay markers, besting the home squad 14-3 Friday night and 7-3 Saturday afternoon at the Bold Center. Like part of the title of the song, it was an h-e-double-hockey-sticks kind of weekend.

On Friday, a disastrous second period turned a 3-1 deficit into a football game, with the Kings scoring seven powerplay goals and a shortie to boot, to lead 12-2 after 40 minutes. It didn't help that three Portage players were given majors and game misconducts throughout the contest, including two on the same play. This led to the rarely seen five-minute five-on-three man advantage, with a two-minute instigator penalty thrown in for good measure. Head Coach Kevin McClelland wasn't happy after the game.

"It's hard, you know, a seven-minute powerplay when its 3-1, five-on-three for five minutes," he said. "But again, we can't put ourselves in that spot. That's been an issue with our club all year: discipline."

Less than 24 hours later, in the rematch against the two-time defending ACAC champs, the Voyageurs showed the grit and determination they've shown most of the year and played a much-more spirited game. They scored on their only powerplay and potted a shorthanded goal as well, trailing only 5-3 after two periods. The Kings – and their potent powerplay – proved too much once again, however, as the Voyageurs got into penalty trouble, including a five-on-three disadvantage in the third.

"You know, one night it'd be nice to see if we had more powerplays but again, you gotta earn them," said McClelland.

Despite the setback, the head coach was proud of his players for not rolling over after the trouncing on Friday night.

"We didn't just go out there and throw our sticks down," he said. "We went out and tried hard (but) we got behind a bit on the penalty count and they got some powerplay goals and I think that again that was the difference in the game today." 

Looking back at the season, which started promisingly at 2-0 but only yielded two more victories the rest of the way, McClelland noted that injuries to key players – especially in the first half – really put the team behind the eight ball.

"We started off 2-0 but we knew it was still going to be a challenge and then all of a sudden, the first half injuries started to accumulate, and we really didn't put out our best roster," he said. "The first time we were full strength, I think, was in the SAIT game (in Calgary). We showed what we could do there…No excuses, but the first half was rough because of injuries and it takes a little steam out of you in the second half knowing that you've got to climb that far back into it and I think it was difficult for our guys to grasp that."

Feb. 21 Players of the Game

• Red Deer: #27 Clay Sleeva
• Portage: #16 Mikal Chalifoux

Feb. 22 Players of the Game

• Red Deer: #19 Alex Bernauer
• Portage: #23 Mason Beck