VOYAGEURS HOPE VICTORY OVER VIKINGS AUGURS WELL FOR SEASON

VOYAGEURS HOPE VICTORY OVER VIKINGS AUGURS WELL FOR SEASON
October 20, 2025

LAC LA BICHE –  It's one game in a long season – but boy, was it a game! The Portage College Voyageurs kicked of the 2025-2026 ACAC season in style Friday night, besting the Augustana Vikings 5-2 in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd at the Bold Centre. Jonah Smith scored twice, Aidan Taylor added an important powerplay marker, and Tresor Wotton made 24 saves as the Voyageurs started the season off on the right foot (or should that be skate?).

 

"The guys were excited about it, and you know, we had some guys that had some pretty good games, that's for sure," said Head Coach Kevin McClelland, starting his sixth season with Portage and fifth as head coach.

 

Indeed, the whole team played a spirited but sound game. The Voyageurs held the Vikings to one powerplay goal on five man advantages and added a crucial five-on-four marker of their own to break a 2-2 third-period tie, on Taylor's first of the season. Carson Devine and Xavier Halterman also scored for the home squad.

 

"I think the powerplay, we got a lucky bounce, but we got a goal at the right time and that's a huge turning point in the game," said McClelland. "You could feel the energy on the bench."

 

You could also feel the energy in the crowd. Lured to the game with free pizza, water and foam pucks (in addition to a chance to watch some exciting ACAC action, of course), the fans were into the game from the player intros right to the final buzzer. Even four-time Stanley Cup champion McClelland, who noted he is always focused on what's happening on the ice and not in the stands, noticed.

 

"It sounded pretty good," he said. "You know, when we made some good plays or some big hits or scored some big goals…you could hear there was a little bit of noise behind us."  

 

Xavier Halterman certainly noticed. The fifth-year Voyageur has been a stalwart athlete on the ice and in the community from the moment he arrived but has certainly seen his share of tough games and long losing streaks. It's only one game, but already the captain sees some exciting possibilities for his squad, possibilities he spotted in a pair of pre-season games against the same Augustana team.

 

"I think we were playing really well," he said. "We gave it a good effort and I thought we were bonding well. I think we have good depth. Like we've got guys sitting out that could definitely be playing in the league, and that depth is something that we've been missing."

 

Even an injury to sniper Tye Evans in the second period didn't derail the Voyageurs, as it might have in previous seasons. And while they know it's only one game and that they started 2-0 last year before going on a long losing streak, the Voyageurs are hopeful their strong first game carries over not only into Saturday night's rematch in Camrose but also serves as a harbinger of good things to come this season.

 

"That was definitely a great start, and everyone was doing something to help out so it's awesome to see and hopefully we keep it going through next week (against SAIT) and tomorrow's game," said Halterman.

 

Players of the Game: