After an early Portage lead, OCN came back to tie the game at 3. The Terriers pulled ahead in the 2nd with back to back powerplay goals and never looked back in the 3rd.
Portage came out hot in the first period with Captain Ty Barnstable opening the scoring just 1:18 in with help from a Blizzard defender. By the 6:31 minute mark Brown and Taylor added markers of their own to make it 3-0 Terriers and Ellingsen’s night came to an end as OCN made a goaltending change.
The Blizzard fought back in the first with a deflected point shot by Sinclair up and over Moore’s shoulder and Crawley batting in a puck on a scramble in front off a Terrier giveaway. Portage outshot the Blizzard 13-8 in the first and led 3-2 into intermission.
Both teams were able to fight off a powerplay in the first half of the second before OCN tied things up Maxwell scoring in a 4 on 1.
The Terriers regained the lead with hometown boys Moffatt and Van Deynze scoring back to back powerplay goals.
Portage took over in the 3rd McPhee, Meunier and Gorski all finding the back of the net to pad the dogs lead.
Tempers boiled over with the Terriers up by 5, scrums after the whistle and and some sticking minors. Roy and Chapman finally dropped the mitts with Roy getting the best of him. Each ejected for the tousle.
Moore picked up the win in net with an 8-3 final making 13 saves on the night. Portage outshot the visiting Blizzard 39-16.
Game 2 of the home and home is tomorrow night at Stride Place. Puck drop is at 7:30pm. Get your tickets early to avoid line ups.