The Portage Terriers rallied from behind to secure their second consecutive victory against the Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Saturday night, 2-1 in a shootout.
The two teams battled to an even 0-0 score through the first twenty minutes, as each team was down a player for the first half of the period. William McKay and Xander Mecas were each assessed warm-up infractions, carrying ten minute misconducts into the game. Dylan Karran was given the only other event of the period, a two-minute minor for tripping.
Portage would get their first powerplay of the night near the middle of the second frame, but despite some good chances, were unable to capitalize. The shots after the second were 21-19 for Portage, but both goalies stood tall in the paint, keeping the score at 0-0.
The third period saw all the regulation goals, with one each way. Trevor Hill would notch his 18th of the season with just under half the period remaining to send the game to overtime.
Hill says the play was a result of strategy sessions with the team.
“It was kind of a mess there, four on four. It was man-on-man, and we were trying to run switches, and I was able to beat my guy to the net, and Dregs (Wyatt Dreger) with a great shot to the net. And it ended up banking in somehow.”
Drama was in the air in overtime, as Portage took a pair of penalties in the final minute of regulation, giving Waywayseecappo nearly 2 minutes of 5-on-3, running into overtime.
Owen Witt, earned the Klean King Hardest Working Player of the game, in part for an extended shift to start overtime during the penalty kill. He notes that at some points, it’s just about doing what the team needs you to do.
“Sometimes, you’re not really fully fresh, but you do what you can, get on the bench, get a little break and then keep going.”
With a little help, Mitchell Kathler stopped every shot that came his way in extra time, and sent the game to a shootout.
Kathler stopped both shots he faced, and Hill and Rhett Platt would both score to send the home fans, along with their families and billets, home happy.
Kathler notes that games like this are actually less stressful than nights off.
“Honestly, I’m more stressed out when I’m on the bench. If Bods (Donovan Bodnar) was playing, I get more nervous.”
The Terriers get right back to action tomorrow night when the Winkler Flyers come to town for a 6:30 p.m. start.
