It may only be their third game of the season but the atmosphere will be a little different for the Portage Terriers this evening as they play the first ever MJHL regular season game in the community of La Broquerie.
It's the home opener for the Steinbach Pistons, the defending MJHL champions. That community is in the midst of building a new facility where the old one used to stand which has forced the team to play this season's home games at the HyLife Centre 15 km to the East. The recently renovated facility has a storied history and has been home to the La Broquerie Habs senior teams for over 60 years.
The Pistons have seen plenty of success since the club was relocated to Steinbach in the 2009 season. They have won three championships and have been a contender almost every year. The Terriers have won 6 championships in that same time frame so it is no surprise the two powerhouse squads have developed a solid rivalry.
Both teams were successful last season which usually means quite a bit of turnover and in this case, both have nine returning players from last year's roster. While Portage started the season with a win and a loss on opening weekend, the Pistons won both of their games on the road. The teams are also being led by a couple of veterans early in the campaign. Slade Stanick of the Terriers and Kirk Mullen of the Pistons both have four points to lead their respective squads.
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