1972–73 MJHL season

Champion

On April 1, 1973, before a capacity crowd at St. James, the Portage Terriers captured the Turnbull Memorial Trophy as MJHL Champs. On April 18, 1973, the Terriers were declared winners of the Anavet Cup after the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League withdrew from the series. On May 3, 1973, in Portage, the Terriers won the Abbott Cup advancing to the national final by defeating the Penticton Broncos of the British Columbia Hockey League. At the Winnipeg Arena on May 14, 1973, the Portage Terriers were crowned national champs defeating the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Junior A Hockey League to claim the Centennial Cup.

League Notes

The 1973 Portage Terriers were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

Regular season

All-Star game

On February 3, the MJHL staged its Allstar game at Portage with the North Division whipping their South Division counterparts 3-0. Neither team was able to score in the close checking first period, the North went ahead 1-0 in the middle stanza and added two more goals in the final period. Scoring for the North were Murray Thompson, Randy Hextall, and Kelly Secord.

North Division Lineup:

• Goal: John Memryk (Portage); Ty Langton (Dauphin)
• Defence: John Hewitt (Portage); Chuck Luska (Kenora);
  George Miller(Portage); Bill Robertson (Portage)
• Centre: Charlie Simmer (Kenora); Randy Hextall (Portage);
  Milt Longworth (Selkirk); Kelly Secord (Dauphin)
• Leftwing: Carl Haney (Kenora); Grant Farncombe (Portage);
  Murray Thompson (Selkirk); Randy Penner (Portage)
• Rightwing: Murray Fadden (Kenora); Chuck Naish (Selkirk);
  Gord Williams (Selkirk); Frank Leswick (Portage)
• Muzz MacPherson, Coach (Portage); Ron Scherza, Manager (Selkirk)

South Division Lineup:

• Goal: Norm Tesluk (West Kildonan); Murray Bannerman (St. James)
• Defence: Brian Engblom (Winnipeg); Doug Mabb (St. Boniface);
  Greg Tallon (St. James); Garry Bryck (West Kildonan)
• Centre: Jeff Dunsmore (St. Boniface); George Newbury (St. James); Wayne Gogal (Winnipeg)
• Leftwing: Pat Meagher (St. Boniface); Dan Moffat (St. James); Cam Connor (St. Boniface)
• Rightwing: Joey Cyr (St. Boniface); Perry Gosselin (St. James); Mike Flock (Winnipeg)
• Forwards: George Jacobson (West Kildonan); Mark Izzard (West Kildonan)
• Ron Russell, Coach (Winnipeg); George Kosarych, Manager (St. Boniface)

Playoffs

Division Semi-Finals

Kenora defeated Selkirk 4-games-to-2

West Kildonan lost St. Boniface 9-points-to-7 points (8 point series)

Divisional Finals

Portage defeated Kenora 4-games-to-none

St. James defeated St. Boniface 4-games-to-none

Turnbull Cup Championship

Portage defeated St. James 4-games-to-none

Anavet Cup Championship

Portage defeated Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) 3-games-to-2 (Humboldt refuses to finish series)

Abbott Cup Championship

Portage defeated Penticton Broncos (BCHL) 4-games-to-3

Centennial Cup Championship

Portage defeated Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) 4-games-to-1

Awards

All-Star Teams

References

• Manitoba Junior Hockey League
• Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
• Hockey Hall of Fame
• Winnipeg Free Press Archives
• Brandon Sun Archives