The curtain has come down on another successful season for the Virden Oil Capitals.
The team lost 5-2 on March 28 to Portage to fall 4-0 in its Manitoba Junior Hockey League semifinals series. Unfortunately, the Oil Caps were banged up in the series and played at times without five of their regulars.
“Losing both goalies to injuries was tough to come back from, even though Brock Moroz (an affiliated player) was great. … The guys played hard,” Virden head coach Troy Leslie said.
Jamie Hodson, the team’s director of business and hockey operations, said you always want to win your last game of the season and the organization will work hard in the offseason to try to accomplish that next year.
With 13 players not returning to the team – and one vet departing early in the season for the major junior ranks - after the 2018 run to the MJHL finals, the Oil Capitals started the season 6-9-1-4. In mid-November the squad started coming together. On the season, the Oil Caps posted a 31-21-4-4 record and finished fifth in the MJHL standings.
“It was kind of a tale of two teams in one season. … It was going to take a while for everyone to gel. … Credit to everyone, the players and the coaches, to stay with what we were trying to do and accomplish it with the group we have,” Hodson said.
Leslie said the veterans played a big role.
“I thought our leadership group did a good job of keeping the team together and getting them going in the right direction,” he said.
In the opening round of the playoffs, the young Virden team beat No. 4 Selkirk Steelers, 4-2.
“I thought personally, where I am in the organization, it was really important to get through the first round and we did. … To get that taste of the second round … was really important. I think that will pay dividends next year,” Hodson said.
Hodson praised the fans for enthusiastically supporting the team. He noted that season tickets, playoffs tickets, and game attendance were all up. He said that perhaps was due in part to fans appreciating the hardworking team that did not quit.
As well, Hodson said the marketing partnerships were strong this season. He noted the team will continue to find ways to show appreciation for partners.
The loss to Portage brought to an end the junior careers of five players in their 20-year-old seasons: hometown standout defenceman Tristen Cross, captain Ben Dalke, Tanner McKechnie, Blake Sidoni, and Brock Shwaluk.
Virden could potentially return much of this season’s strong team. Kolten Kanaski has one more year of eligibility after leading the Oil Caps in regular season scoring and pacing the team with eight goals and 13 points in 10 playoff games.
He is just one of the many talented forwards, including Virden’s Tanner Andrew, who could be back. On the blue line Jayden Wojciechowski leads what could be a strong group of returning defencemen. In net, Dalton Dosch and Oak Lake product Riley Wallace could both return.
