By / Curtis Haugan
Most inaugural teams aren’t supposed to have any success.
But every so often, like the Florida Panthers in 1993, a team comes along that hits the ground running.
The Portage College Voyagers might be one of those teams.
After only six games this season they’re already turning some heads with their competitiveness.
“The team chemistry is unbelievable,” said head coach Terry Ewasiuk.
“These guys all play for each other. We aren’t the best team when it comes to skill – not yet anyway – but we do play hard and have great work ethic.”
The team has won two, lost three and lost another in a shootout this season.
And though that stat line is unimpressive, the squad sits fifth out of eight teams in the ACAC only being blown out once by powerhouse SAIT 7-1.
No one ever said it was easy starting from scratch, especially when building a hockey club.
But that’s precisely what Ewasiuk has done.
Ewasiuk knew how few recruits would knock on his team’s door last summer, so he went to places no other teams wouldn’t look for talent – the Junior B and senior hockey leagues.
“I knew there wouldn’t be enough Junior players to recruit into the program,” said Ewasiuk.
“There was no way I was gong to be able to find 24 or 25 Junior A players, so I had to look at different levels, and I went to the Junior B leagues.”
Much of Ewasiuk’s squad is out of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, and Junior B leagues in Alberta and Saskatchewan, but it doesn’t mean he is without his higher profile recruits.
Chris Glen out of the Utah Valley State University, Jeremy Weasel Moccasin from the University of Eastern Washington, and Brent Caldwell with the North Country Community College Saints all have NCAA experience.
However, Ewasiuk said his team’s best asset is between the pipes.
Paul Kolida out of the Victoria Grizzlies Junior A program has faced a lot of shots this season and holds down a 3.33 goals against average thus far, and a strong .925 save percentage.
“That guy gives us a chance to win every night,” said Ewasiuk.
Although the two wins Portage has enjoyed came at the hands of the lowly Briercrest Clippers, they also took SAIT to a shootout in the first game of the season.
“I really think a realistic goal for us this season is to finish in the top four, that’s legit,” said Ewasiuk.
“Anybody can beat anybody on any given night, but realistically we’re going to continue to look even better.
“But our biggest goal is to make the playoffs.
“That, in itself, is very attainable.” |
