A final Voyageurs blog

Before I hit the road for my amazing new position as broadcaster of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL I’d like to thank a list of people who continuously work to prolong the success of the Portage College Voyageurs.

First of all, I would like to say that the past three and a half years in Lac La Biche have been an absolute pleasure. I cannot imagine a better place for a person to start their broadcasting career.

My time here has allowed me to meet and interview incredible people from all walks of life. For the opportunities this job and this town have provided, I cannot be more gracious.

Nothing would have ever transpired between Newcap Broadcasting, Big Dog 103.5 and the Portage College without the support of its former President, Bill Persley. Mr. Persley always welcomed me into his office with a wide smile, a firm handshake and treated me as if we had been playing golf together for 20 years. The community of Lac La Biche is lucky to have a current college President like Trent Keough.

Without their support and the work of great college staff such as Leona Gellar and Diana Cook there never would have been a broadcast to speak of.

Covering the Portage Voyageurs was an easy job with the help of Head Coach Terry Ewasiuk and his staff; Clint Trimble, Chaffic Moghrabi, Steve Henderson and behind-the-scenes gurus Lorne Moen and Reno Laroque. Thanks to these people, the Voyageurs never miss a beat, at home, on the road.. or on freezing cold North Dakotan highways.

Terry was never too busy for an interview, a quiet chat about the team or an opinion on the ACAC, Even when he was too busy I could count on a phone call in no less than an hour for a long chat with the coach. For his help in making the coverage of the team so seamless and simple, I thank him greatly.

Massive accolades go out to all members of the PCAA (Portage College Athletics Association) for which I’ve been a member for over three years. The work these people do behind the scenes to keep this program strong is constant and thankless. Lac La Biche is fortunate to have such great people.

It would be foolish to overlook the contributions of Portage College Voyageur players who made every game a privilege to watch and cover, without the efforts of former and current players such as Chris Glen, Brendan Lamb, Ian Hall, Gerald Desjerlais, Leo Keefer and many, MANY more this program would not be as strong as it is today. Thank you for your efforts on the ice and in this community.

Going to the rink to watch a game won’t be the same without intermission chats with rink announcer Stephen Klassen, You always gave me great insight over your decaf coffee, your extra pair of eyes never ceased to help the broadcast. It’s too bad we could never steal you away from those loud speakers for a comfy colour position.

Huge thanks go out to those who jumped in the broadcast booth to help commentate, thanks to Rick Flumian, Dan Harvard, Dan Nadeau, Matt Rogers, Dan Gallant and all Voyageur players who were willing over the past three years.

I’d like to say great thanks to our amazing voices at the Centennial Arena and Bold Center, Nadine Gordey-Landstrom and Lauren Wells. Your stirring performances of O Canada were better than anything a black coffee or energy drink could provide.

A final thank you to the arena staff, volunteers, bus drivers and of course the fans, locals, parents and listeners who would tune in to hear all the action, thank you for your support and kind words that made the broadcasts even more fun.

I’d like to say a final thank you to Dan Gallant, who supported me in all my efforts to get broadcasts going as soon as the team was on the ice. Leigh Steele for three years of pushing buttons in a dark studio and most of all to my parents, who never missed a broadcast, except the first ever game, they sat 20 feet in front of me with their radio and head phones, thank you.

Age and size fends off youth and speed

This past Friday the Portage College Voyageurs hosted the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL for the first of two games between the rather un-familiar teams. Portage has played the AJHL's Fort McMurray Oil Barons in previous exhibition seasons.

The Pontiacs iced a line-up of seven veterans as they took the ice with a Voyageur team that was skating seven of its ten returning players.

The Voyageurs were in tough against a group of Pontiac players who had spent a lot more time in training camps than the new or returning to town Voyageurs; Portage used their size to quell the speed of the Pontiacs with big hits including former Swan Valley Stampeder Brent Wilson who laid out Lac La Biche's own Ryan Kearns of the Pontiacs in the first period.

The Voyageurs opened the scoring in the first frame as new guy from Buffalo Narrows SK Codie Pederson slipped a rebound past the Pontiacs rookie 'tender Curtis Honey. Portage went up by two in the second as their only 4th year veteran player Gerald Desjerlais knocked in a bank shot as a penalty expired. Bonnyville got within a goal late in the second when American Max Collins cranked a snap shot past Kyle Birch from the top of the circle.

The speed of the Pontiacs caused problems for the Voyageurs throughout the third period as the benefit of a longer training camp became apparent for the heavy legged Portage squad. Mackenzie MacAvoy tied the game mid-way through the third with a blocker side slapper off a turn-over.

OT solved nothing at the Bold Center, the Pontiacs had several chances including a strong rush at the net right off the opening face-off but there was no more scoring to be had. ACAC rules were in effect and no shoot-out was had, the two squads skated to a 2-2 tie.

On Saturday down south in Bonnyville the Voyageurs topped the Pontiacs 6-3 with the help of three power-play goals and new forward Richard Cameron who notched two goals, Cory Giroux also tallied four points over the weekend.

Coach Terry Ewasiuk is excited about the offensive depth of the team and should have a better man advantage this season with the likes of former MJHL stud Jory Geddes providing his influence on the PP.

PC has only one more home game in their pre-season line-up as they host Gold Medalist Shannon Szabados and the MacEwan Griffins on the 16th of September.

Reflections from Training Camp: Day 1

On Monday the Portage Voyageurs jumped on the ice for their first day of 2011-2012 Training Camp, for some of the new faces in town, this practice came only 24 hours after their arrival to Lac La Biche.

The majority of the on-ice session was based on scrimmage play, 5 on 5, 4 on 4, 3 on 3, 2 on 2, 1 on 2 and 1 on 1. The practice ended off with some basic drills, line rushes and a tired group of players.

Among the stand-outs was returning Voyageur Center Dustin Popowich, the 5'6 2nd year forward out of Lethbridge AB seems to have returned to the team ever quicker than he was last season. Popowich notched 19 points as a Voyageur in his first year.

Several new players were turning heads on Monday; Including former Notre Dame Hound Richard Cameron. Cameron was extremely smooth with the puck and was showing off his foot speed as he joins the Voyageurs from the SJHL.

Also making a name for himself was former Selkirk Steeler Jory Geddes, wearing a dark blue practice jersey and weaving through the defence it's no wonder Geddes tallied nearly a point per game over 61 tilts last year in the MJHL.

The Voyageurs are gearing up for their first pre-season game this Friday as the host the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL, 715 at the Bold Center.

Bulk of Voyageur roster to arrive this weekend

Portage Coach Terry Ewasiuk expects the majority of his 2011-2012 roster to arrive in Lac La Biche this Sunday, as the team prepares for its 4th ACAC season and 1st full season at the Bold Center.

The Voyageurs will have at least 12 new faces as training camp begins in the Fleming Cats perfomance arena, weeknights from 7-830. The Voyageurs will also be donating their services in the Portage Voyageurs youth hockey camp; which has grown every year since its inception at the old Centennial Arena.

When asked about his training camp expectations, Ewasiuk noted that "the rookies will be better than the veterans" as new players have been working dilligently, preparing for a new situation; while the veteran Voyageurs are aware that they have another month of time to condition themselves for the upcoming season.

The Voyageurs may not have begun practice yet, but they host the AJHL's Bonnyville Pontiacs in 8 days at the Bold Center for their first of two pre-season games on home ice.

2012 has new faces, one from the past

The 2011-2012 edition of the Voyageurs will be without two players from the innaugural season (Chris Glen, Brendan Lamb), but, the roster will gain a face that has not been with the team since that first season.

Lukas Vepy was a first year forward who came over from Slovakia and played just 21 games in his first year as a Voyageur. Vepy had one assist in his 21 games at Portage and might be best remembered as being the only Voyageur to recieve a penalty before a game had even started; Vepy remained on the ice after a warm-up and was given 2 minutes for the mis-understanding.

Lukas returns to the team after a 60 point season with a Division 2 team in Slovakia, he is a former member of the Slovakian U16 and U17 squads.

Vepy and Gerald Desjerlais will be the only two players withstanding from the 1st season in the ACAC, Desjerlais hails from nearby Buffalo Lake and has worked to earn his spot each season.

The Voyageurs will be gaining some offensive help on the blue line this season as they welcome Brent Wilson from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Wilson from Norway House MN, spent the past three seasons in the MJHL; two of which with the Swan Valley Stampeders.

Brent was the Stampeders' 2011 Playoff MVP and the won the teams' Unsung Hero award, he comes to the Voyageurs sporting a record of 99 points over the last three seasons and a rather stunning 295 minutes in the box.

Fleming Cats Arena all signed up

The Portage College Voyageurs' home rink has been known as the Fleming Cats Performance Arena since the opening of the facility but the rink now has a nice new sign to show off the local sponsorship.

The Voyageurs kick off the pre-season against the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL on Friday August 26th.

Portage College Voyageurs 2011-2012 Sched