Frustrated with his team's consecutive losses at home against Red Deer over the weekend, Portage Voyageurs hockey team's head coach, Nate Bedford questioned his team's work ethic after Saturday's game.
"We have guys in there that probably aren't even sweating," said the coach outside the team's dressing room after Saturday's 9-1 loss that came on the heels of an equally-one sided 8-1 defeat on Friday night.
More disappointing, was the team's turn-about after playing some of the season's best hockey against league-leading NAIT the weekend before.
"It was an awful effort. It didn't feel like we were engaged for two straight games. It doesn't matter what we have said, we just get the same result time and time again. This program has lasted for 10 years, you break down from it by creating good habits and we just don't have good habits, so it was a disappointing weekend," said Bedford.
Slim chance for playoffs
The Voyageurs remain in last place of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference hockey league with only three wins out of the 24 games played. They are currently seven points behind sixth place Concordia University for the last spot of the six-team playoffs. The Voyageurs would have to win the last four games in the regular season — and Concordia would have to lose their last four in order for Portage to earn a playoff spot.
The weekend, the season record, and the slim chance of making it into the six-team playoffs in the eight-team league is all due to the lack of team effort, says the coach.
"I think the effort they have put forward is the reason we are in last place. The effort right there is why we are in last place. So, you can do all the planning you want but, if there's no effort, nothing in life matters," Bedford said, "That was no effort right there in two straight games and you will just keep falling further and further behind with that."
The Voyageurs are up against Augustana University Camrose on Feb. 22 at the Bold Center and finishes the league with games against Concordia University the weekend after. Bedford doesn't seem to be looking forward to the upcoming games.
"Thank God, there are only four games left," said Bedford.
