Last Saturday, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League squad downed the Portage Terriers, 3-2, on the road. The Oil Caps finished with a 30-20-4-0 record and the third seed in the MJHL’s West Division.
“I thought we have been very consistent over the last month or so at sticking to our game plan and we did that again on Saturday against a very good Portage team that had been playing very well,” Virden head coach Tyson Ramsey said. “They are fast and transition very well and I thought for the most part we defended well and managed the puck in key areas. Our goaltender was also very good when he needed to be.”
Last Saturday, the Oil Caps jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals by MJHL MVP Braden Fischer and Dylan Halliday, who scored on a powerplay. Nate Hinds got one goal back for the hosts to make it a 2-1 game. In the second session, Fischer scored his 35th and final goal of the regular season, on the powerplay, to put his Oil Caps up by two, 3-1. In the third, Austin McLean scored for the Terriers.
Portage pulled its goalie on a powerplay to create a six-on-four situation. However, the Terriers were unable to tie up the contest. The loss caused them to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1986. Portage finished with a 23-24-5-2 record – a point behind Selkirk.
Virden was 2-for-3 on the powerplay. Portage was 0-for-3. Oil Caps goalie Bailey Monteith stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced. Jayden Catellier made 24 saves for Portage.
Signings
While preparing for this year’s postseason, the Oil Capitals continue to build a roster to contend next season. Last week the team announced the signings for 2022-2023 of forwards Grayson Chell and Brett Sabel. The pair have taken different routes to Virden.
Hailing from Onion Lake, Sask., Chell joins the Oil Caps for his 19-year-old campaign. The 6-foot, 180-pounder had 24 goals, 39 points, and 60 penalty minutes in 38 games for the Junior B Summerland (B.C.) Steam of the Kootenay International Hockey League.
“We were looking to add an older guy that has some junior experience. Grayson fits that description and we also like that he has shown an ability to create offence at the junior level,” Ramsey said on the team’s website. “He is a guy that can play more than one style of game and we are excited to add him to our roster for next season.”
Hailing from Fond du Lac, Wisc., Sabel will be in his 18-year-old season with the Oil Caps. He had 22 goals and 55 points in only 24 games for his hometown high school squad this season. The 6-foot, 170-pounder recorded two assists and three goals in eight games for the Janesville (Wisc). 18U Jets of the North American Prospects Hockey League.
“He is a bigger body that can skate and has an ability to score,” Ramsey said. “We are very excited to add him to our roster for next season.”
