VOYAGEURS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT FOR FIRST TIME IN 12 YEARS
LAC LA BICHE – "Playoffs?" Yew betcha, former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Jim Mora! The Portage College Voyageurs are going to the playoffs!
For the first time in 12 years, the men's hockey squad is off to the ACAC post season, booking their ticket with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder on Friday night in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Bold Centre. With the one point for the extra-time defeat, the Voyageurs passed the idle Augustana Vikings, booking their ticket to the post-season.
They followed that up with an impressive 5-2 road win against the Thunder 24 hours later, climbing all the way to fourth place in the ACAC standings and clinching home ice advantage for a first-round tilt with the Briercrest Clippers next weekend.
Jonah Smith scored all three goals for the home squad on Friday night, including the crucial equalizer with less than four minutes remaining in the third period. As they have all year, the Voyageurs battled to the final whistle, even after they got into penalty trouble in overtime. Afterwards, while they would've preferred to have won the game – one that they led 2-0 well into the second period – the players were in a celebratory mood.
"All the boys are super proud," said the speedy and aptly named defenceman Jett McCullum, who's had a strong season. "For me, I'm just so happy. It was our goal at the start of the year and we got it done."
For Head Coach Kevin McClelland, who's experienced the lows of a winless season or being out of the playoff race by Christmas, seeing the hard work pay off is rewarding – not that he's taking any of the credit for the impressive rebuild of the past few years.
"It's nice. I mean…the guys have stuck with it this year and you know, battled," he said after the game. "It's not anything me and (Assistant Coach) Pierre (Sparklingeyes) did. We just sort of babysit these guys and they go out and they play the game. They're the ones that score the goals and block the shots and they deserve all the credit."
Heading into the rematch in Edmonton on Saturday night, with playoff seeding still to be determined, McClelland knew his players couldn't savour the moment for long.
"We gotta make sure we've got good habits and do the little things tomorrow because it's not a tap, you can't turn it on and off," said the four-time Stanley Cup Champion. "We've gotta go into the playoffs making sure that we're playing our A game."
His troops clearly got the message, coming out guns a blazin' Saturday night. Smith, Xavier Halterman and Emrick Paradis all scored beautiful goals and the Voyageurs rode a strong first period to a 3-1 lead after 20. From there, they silenced the Thunder, although Jackson Miller still needed to make some big saves to stop the home squad from getting back into the game.
The Voyageurs now prepare to host their first playoff games since 2014, hosting the visiting Clippers on Friday (Feb. 27) at 2 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m. and, if necessary, Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Bold Centre.
Prior to the game on Friday night, the Voyageurs honoured their captain, Xavier Halterman, for his five years of exemplary play, leadership, academic achievement and community involvement. He was presented with a frame photo montage of him in action, signed by all of his teammates. The team also announced that his number 13 would be retired for the 2026-27 season in honour of his exemplary Portage career. Indeed, as of this writing, he is third in career points and career goals, and fifth all time in games played for the Voyageurs. He has also won numerous academic, athletic and humanitarian awards, and volunteered countless hours supporting minor hockey and other events in the Lac La Biche region.
"He changed the program," said McCullum. "He does so much for us so we're really proud of him and he was the biggest part of it for us."
McClelland, who's coached Halterman for his entire five years at the College, marvels at how far he's progressed and the special player he's become.
"I mean Xavier has been unbelievable," he said. "You know, look where he came from. And now, all of a sudden he was tied for the league lead (in points) going into tonight….For him to come that far is unbelievable."
Players of the Game
February 20
Concordia: #1 Ashton Billesberger
Portage: #8 Jonah Smith
February 21
Concordia: All nine graduating players
Portage: #33 Jackson Miller
