Yellowknife鈥檚 Liam Tereposky has been playing in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) for a few seasons but he鈥檚 yet to play a full one due to Covid-19.

He鈥檚 hoping this season will be the one where he gets to finish what he started.

The 19-year-old is back as one of the goaltenders for the Waywayseecappo Wolverines. He already has five games under his belt in the 2021-22 season. As of Oct. 4, he had an official record of four wins and one loss, the first defeat coming this past Saturday at the hands of the Swan Valley Stampeders, 6-1.

鈥淚t would have been nice to go 6-and-0 to start the season but that鈥檚 the reality of playing in a good league,鈥� said Tereposky.

He joined the Wolverines in 2019 after impressing Josh Lee, the team鈥檚 assistant coach, during the Canadian North Rec Hockey Tournament that April.

鈥淛osh was watching me in the final against Deline and that got the ball rolling,鈥� said Tereposky. 鈥淗e saw me again at the (2019 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship) later on and that鈥檚 where I got the invite to camp for the next season.鈥�

His first season with the Wolverines was shortened when the pandemic began to take hold in March 2020. The MJHL shut things down during the first round of the league playoffs. Last season was pretty much a complete write-off as the Wolverines played in just six games before the league cancelled the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

鈥淭echnically, this is my third season in the league but I鈥檓 hoping this will be the first one that I get to complete from start to finish,鈥� he said.

One thing Tereposky likes about the MJHL is the competitiveness among the teams.

鈥淭here鈥檚 lots of skill around and the level is pretty equal,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ny team can win on any night and it鈥檚 just as good as any other junior league out there.鈥�

The MJHL is considered one step below the Western Hockey League. While Tereposky isn鈥檛 looking at the WHL as a goal, he said he wouldn鈥檛 turn his nose up at it if he had the chance to play.

鈥淚鈥檓 working toward getting myself a scholarship to play (college hockey) in the U.S., but I wouldn鈥檛 be opposed to playing the WHL if the right opportunity came up,鈥� he said.

There鈥檚 also the prospect of a professional opportunity, and Tereposky said that would be something he鈥檇 jump at if he had the chance.

鈥淓very kid who plays hockey dreams of playing pro,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he National Hockey League is the ultimate goal, but there鈥檚 a lot of good hockey in North America and in Europe. If I got the right chance, I would definitely consider turning pro.鈥�

The Wolverines have two players from Yellowknife are on the same team, a rare circumstance. Lonan Bulger is a teammate of Tereposky鈥檚 and that鈥檚 been one of the highlights for Tereposky during his time in Waywayseecappo, which lies near the Saskatchewan border.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a ball playing with him,鈥� he said of Bulger. 鈥淭wo hometown kids playing on the same team 鈥� nothing better than that. It鈥檚 a great group of guys here and we鈥檙e battling for game nights.鈥�