1973/74 Selkirk Steelers
National Junior A Champions - Centennial Cup
Western Canada Junior A Champions - Abbott Cup
Manitoba/Saskatchewan Inter-Provincial Champions
Manitoba Junior Hockey League - Turnbull Memorial Trophy.
George Dorman took over the coaching duties of the Selkirk Steelers for the 1973/74 season. The veteran coach would guide the Steelers to the top spot in the North Division with a 32-15-1 record. Their opponent in the semi-finals would be the defending Centennial Cup champion Portage Terriers. The Terriers were hoping for another run at the Centennial Cup and despite a lacklustre regular season, had eliminated the second place Brandon Travellers earning the right to meet Selkirk.
Selkirk hammered Portage 8-1 in Game One, but the Terriers would re-group quickly to take the next two games. Selkirk would take Games Four and Five before Portage forced a Game Seven back in Selkirk. The 'Barn' would prove inhospitable to Portage as the Steelers would take the North Division title with a 7-2 win.
The favoured West Kildonan North Stars were their opponent for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League Final and took Game One with a 6-1 win. Selkirk rebounded to run the table four straight (8-2, 6-1, 5-2, 3-2) and claim the Turnbull Memorial Trophy as MJHL Champions.
Opening the Manitoba -Saskatchewan inter-provincial series in Prince Albert, the Raiders scored three power-play goals to take a 4-2 win. Selkirk would take the next game before returning to Winnipeg where Andy Stoez shutout the Raiders 2-0 in Game Three. Prince Albert responded with an 8-2 win. Selkirk would close out the series with 7-3 & 8-1 victories.
The Abbott Cup Western Canada final series began in Winnipeg against the Kelowna Buckaroos. Selkirk took Game One 5-4 and dropped Game Two 6-0. The Steelers would take Game Three 5-4 and the clubs would head to Kelowna, BC for the remainder of the series. In Kelowna, the Steelers took a 3-1 Series lead after thumping the Buckaroos 8-3. Faced with elimination, Kelowna took the next game with a 5-4 overtime win followed by a 7-3 victory the next night to tie the series. An early 3rd period goal by Bill Whitehead proved the winner for a 5-2 Selkirk win and the Western Canada Junior A Abbot Cup title.
Meeting the Smiths Fall Bears in Ottawa, Selkirk would take Game One 5-4 with the help of Gord Kaluzniak's two goals. Andy Stoez backboned the Steelers to a 7-4 win in Game Two before Smiths Falls responded with a 3-0 Game Three victory. Another strong performance by Stoez in a 2-1 victory followed by a 6-3 Game Four win had Selkirk on the verge of a national title. The Bears had different plans however, and would win Game five 6-3 followed by a Game Six 5-4 overtime win to force a deciding Game Seven match
.
In Game Seven, their 25th play-off game, a banged up Steelers squad went toe-to-toe for three periods of scoreless hockey. Gord Kaluzniak would score the winner at the 7:09 mark of Overtime and the 1973/74 Selkirk Steelers would claim the Canadian Junior A title and the Centennial Cup.
1973/74 Selkirk Steelers roster;
Mike Chubey, Andy Stoez, Ken Neufeld, Jim Whall, Erwin Martens, Owen Wilkinson, Chester Reimer, Gerry Dudar, Ron Scherza, Don Mitchell, Bill Whitehead, Chris Magnusson, Kelly Kehoe, Ken Vertz, George Dorman, Adam Kell, Gord Kaluzniak, Ray Mutcheson, Rick Klassen, Howie Parks, Rick Dorman, Tom Wark, Glen Buffie, Adam Tarnowski, Randy Reimer, Marlin Vanrobaeys, Murray Thomson, Gary Kaluzniak, and Peter Kaluzniak Norm Tesluck, Don Mitchell.