SPORTS FLASHBACK 1975: Steinbach Millers win first junior hockey title

The Steinbach Millers left no doubt that they are the best junior “B” hockey team in Manitoba when they skated to three straight victories to claim the provincial championship in a tournament on home ice last weekend.

The team was formed for the 1974-75 season, with players from Ste Anne, Lorette, St Malo, Randolph, Kleefeld, Grunthal and Steinbach, to compete in a newly formed Junior “B” Hockey League. The Millers won the league championship to earn a berth in the Manitoba finals, which they hosted for the first time.

Victories over Dauphin, Portage la Prairie and Pembina Valley gave Steinbach its first-ever junior hockey championship.

The Steinbach Millers were more disappointed than their fans, when they finished third in the Manitoba Games back in December, but a season of hockey later, the team ran scores to double digits in the first two games and then defeated Portage 7-4 for the Manitoba Junior “B” Hockey title in the provincial championships at the Steinbach Arena.

The final game of the tournament was a must-win for both teams, who each had a pair of victories. A tie would have forced an evening contest to settle the matter, but the Millers had other ideas.

They scored three first period goals and traded markers in the final two frames for a 7-4 victory and the championship.

Randy Reimer, who scored four times in the tournament’s first two games, started it off with a goal midway through the first period of the deciding contest.

Larry Stoesz scored a disputed goal at 18:17 of the period, with Portage arguing that the whistle had gone before the puck was in the net. A minute later, Art Coulombe made it 3-0 for Steinbach.

A penalty-filled second period saw each team score twice, with Vic Peters and Randy Reimer getting Miller markers. A total of 18 penalties were called, including two fighting penalties and a game misconduct to Larry Stoesz.

Steinbach went ahead 6-3 in the third period on a goal by Vic Peters and Randy Reimer completed his hat trick, scoring into an empty net with three seconds remaining.

In their opening game in the round-robin, Steinbach built up a 2-1 first period lead and outscored Dauphin 3-2 in the second and 5-3 in the third for a 10-6 final.

While Steinbach defeated Dauphin with relative ease Friday night, Portage had a real tough contest with Pembina Valley, edging the team from Carman 7-6.

The Millers took a full two periods to get untracked Saturday night and headed to the dressing room with a 3-2 lead over Pembina Valley after 40 minutes.

The team exploded for eight goals in the final period of the game, including three in the first two minutes to finish the game with 11 goals and their second tournament victory.

It was Art Coulombe’s turn for a hat trick, as he combined with Rick Leclair and Randy Reimer. Rick Leclair scored twice and Kim Fries, Vic Peters, Farley Fries, Marc Phaneuf, Randy Reimer and Ron Freynet each scored singles.

In Saturday’s other game, Portage scored their second 7-6 victory, this time over Dauphin, to keep their championship hopes alive and set up Sunday’s deciding contest with the Millers.

Pembina Valley, who won a northern tournament for the right to compete in the championships, lost their third straight game Sunday by a 5-4 count to Dauphin.