1977-78 WCLH Season

 

Standings

1. Fargo Owls

2. Kenora Pioneers

3. Abbotsford Forest Kings

4. Nanaimo Sharks

5. Brandon Buffalos

6. Moose Jaw Wings

7. Saskatoon Cats

8. Medicine Hat Hawks

9. Lethbridge Cougars

10. Swift Current Battalion

Season Story

October 7, 1977, marks the Swift Current Battalion inaugural season opener that fans have been waiting for as the team played against the Moose Jaw Wings. Battalion rookie forward Ron Gratton scored his first goal in his WCLH career, and he would add 3 assists to give the team their first win in the team’s history. Swift Current would add 12 more wins and end at last place, but the mayor of Swift Current said, “This team is here to stay long term!”

One of many big stories that were all talks about was a trade between Kenora and Saskatoon that suppose to be a win for the Cats as they received forward Jake Folk and defence Reggie Gordy. At the same time, the Pioneers end up getting goalie Zack Mick and a 2nd round pick. Unhappy that he got traded lit a fire inside Zack as he got the chance to start for the Pioneers and went on a roll with a 24-5-1 in 30 games and gave the team a 2nd place finish. While the Cats fell apart in the second half with top key players being injured to even Kevin Vale, Sam Fritz, and Matthew Edwards got the call up from their own pro hockey clubs as Saskatoon finished 7th to make things not sit well for the Cats, they have a playoff match up with the Pioneers.

The team that had their ups and downs was the Brandon Buffalos; in the first half of the season, the team played very well to even placing in 1st until in the second half, where things went downhill. Tim Woods, the teams head coach, had problems trying to keep the team together, mainly with 14 games losing streak that led to a locker room fight between forward Luke James and defence Paul Cole; with that, the team’s chemistry was not there as the Buffalos ended the season in 5th.

For the second year in a row, the Fargo Owls took 1st place in the league with what would be a new record of 43-5-2. To add more records by the Owls, goalie Nate Benn made 15 shutouts out of 30 games.