Ron Valentine is profiling the 10 teams participating in the 2023 Centennial Cup in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba May 11-21.

Today: the host Portage Terriers.

By Ron Valentine

​​The host team of the 2023 Centennial Cup is the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's PORTAGE TERRIERS. 

During the regular season, the Terriers, under head coach Blake Spiller, finished in first place in the MGEU East division with 43 wins and 90 points in their 58-game season, good for a final Canadian Junior Hockey League ranking of eighth. 

In the Turnbull Cup playoffs, the Terriers got past the Niverville Nighthawks in that club's inaugural season in the MJHL, in a first-round, five-game series.

They then fell in seven games to the Virden Oil Capitals in Round 2, with the final game going into double overtime.

The Terriers play out of the Stride Credit Union Arena, a multi-purpose sports and recreation complex, which can hold 2,200 people. 

Hometown hero Ryan Botterill led the club leader over the regular campaign with 45 goals and 73 points. He was awarded the MJHL's Frank McKinnon memorial award for outstanding ability and sportsmanship. 

Austin Peters had a 62-point season including 20 goals. Hayden Lacquette and Brandon McCartney put up 54 points. Kian Calder, who had a 42-point campaign, and like Ryan is a Portage native, was the recipient of the league's RBC community award.

Botterill had a club-leading 12 points in the postseason while Thunder Bay native Mike Stubbs, who previously played in the OHL with the Mississauga Steelheads,  had eight goals and 10 points.

In the net, Kamloops BC native Bailey Monteith and Jayden Catellier, from St. Pierre MB, combined for a goals against average of 2.73 in the regular season and 2.78 in the playoffs. Monteith recorded three shutouts, Catellier two.

The host Brooks Bandits won the championship in 2019. So did the OJHL’s Cobourg Cougars in 2017 on blueliner Nick Minerva's point shot blast in overtime. "I just shut my eyes and shot the puck,” he told me after the game." 

In 2015, the Terriers were hosts and hoisted the trophy with a win over the CCHL's Carleton Place Canadians. To round out the 2000s, the Weyburn Red Wings of the SJHL, were hometown heroes in 2005, the Halifax Oland Exports in 2002 and the Fort McMurray OIl Barons in 2000.

The Terriers were founded in Portage in 1932. They won the Centennial Cup in 1973, beating the Pembroke Lumber Kings in five games, and the Royal Bank Cup in 2015. They have been MJHL champions 11 times.

Blake Spiller's time behind the bench goes all the way back to the 2001-02 season when he was assistant coach. He became head coach of the club at the start of the 2006-07 campaign and in 2020-21 took on the dual responsibilities of general manager and head coach. A native of Portage, the four-time coach of the year in the MJHL was named CJHL coach of the year in 2015, 2016 and 2019.

Q&A with coach Blake:

Q. What type of club are the Terriers?

A. We have a solid defensive core that can also contribute offensively.

Q. Who is a key player in your success?

A. Ryan Botterill, the leading scorer in our regular season and playoffs.

Q. What are you looking forward to at the finals in Portage?

A. Playing in a National Championship is always a great experience and having it in Portage makes it even more special.

Portage fans will be out in force on May 12 as the Terriers start their schedule against the MJHL champion Steinbach Pistons. The club's last contest was on April 19.

For more on the Centennial Cup, go to the tournament website: https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/national-championships/men/national-junior-a/2023