The Portage Terriers suffered their 12th regulation loss of the season Saturday night falling 4-3 to the Winnipeg Freeze. The Terriers have just one win on the road this season.
Netminder Jayden Catellier started the game strong for Portage making some big saves off Terrier turnovers. The Dogs then found the back of the net five minutes into the game. Logan Calder hit Daniel Siso with a pass in the slot and he put it high glove side.
The Terrier power play went to work minutes later and moved the puck well around the zone. Siso misfired on his one-timer, but the slower speed fooled Freeze goalie Dawson Rattai for Siso’s second goal of the night. The Freeze responded at the end of the period. Rylan Ringor sniped a shot up high from the bottom of the circle on the power play.
The second period was the opposite of the first, with Winnipeg scoring the first two. Ryder Ringor snapped a shot over Catellier’s shoulder on the power play from a sharp angle to tie the game. Catellier made a huge save on another Freeze power play midway through the frame to keep it tied at two but that didn’t last long. Tristan Bear gave Winnipeg their first lead of the night with just over five minutes to play. He picked off a breakout pass, walked in and sniped a shot up high. Portage responded quickly; Austin Peters created a chance off the rush and Ashton Fishley cleaned up the rebound in front of the net to tie the game.
Turnovers hurt Portage again early in the third period. The Terriers coughed up the puck leaving their zone and Nathan Driver scored on a two on one. The Freeze shutdown the Terriers the rest of the way not allowing many chances on Rattai.
For the Freeze it was their third win of the season and they are now two points back of Portage in the standings. These two teams will meet again on Wednesday at Stride Place at 7:30pm. The game was rescheduled from Sunday Nov. 21.
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