SPORTS FLASHBACK 1971: Steinbach bantam Jets are MAHA champs
Advertisement
Steinbach Bantam Jets are the 1971 MAHA Provincial ”BB” Champions, defeating Minnedosa in the final two-game, total-point playoff round by an 8-4 margin. Steinbach won the first game at home 6-1 and held Minnedosa to three goals in a road game a week later.
The Jets received the Clint Bennett Memorial Trophy emblematic of provincial Bantam II supremacy.
The home game on March 6 was highlighted by Steinbach’s superior passing and positional play, combined with a powerful defence, strong forechecking and sound goaltending. Ken Krentz scored three goals and picked up two assists, while Wes Dueck scored twice and assisted on three others. Kerrie Klassen scored once and assisted on five goals in the 6-1 victory.
In the second game, March 14, Minnedosa defeated Steinbach 3-2. Steinbach protested the game at the 11:15 mark of the second period, after a penalty shot had been awarded to Minnedosa. The ice condition in Minnedosa was heavy but satisfactory, considering the unseasonably warm weather.
Minnedosa hit the scoreboard at the 10:58 mark of the first period on a goal by Tom Hinch from Murray Le Boutillier, while Steinbach was a man short. Less than two minutes after this, Rick McMillan popped in Farley Fries’ rebound off Minnedosa goalie, Ralph Bradburg, to tie the game. Gary Toews also picked up an assist.
Forty seconds later, Steinbach’s Ken Krentz blasted one home from Wes Dueck and Kerrie Klassen, to make the score 2-1 for Steinbach at the end of the first period.
The only scoring in the second period came at the 11:15 mark, when Paul Enquist scored on a penalty shot. Ray Diabowski ended the scoring for Minnedosa, when he tapped one in behind Steinbach goalie Chester Reimer at 9:55 of the third period.
Steinbach was assessed five of the eleven penalties called. Following the game, Groeme Shaw, MAHA Bantam BB Playdowns convenor, presented Steinbach captain Ken Krentz and coach Jake Fries with the provincial trophy, along with individual trophies for players on the winning team.
The Minnedosa-Steinbach matchup was the fifth round of the playdowns, with Steinbach winning the first four by comfortable margins. Steinbach trounced Beausejour 17-4, outscored Warren 11-6 and Elm Creek 8-2 before eliminating Neepawa in the semi-finals by an 8-2 count.
The 6-1 win and 3-2 loss in the final series against Minnedosa gave Steinbach the championship by an 8-4 margin.