Story Courtesy Portageonline.com
The Portage Terriers have won consecutive games for the first time this season. The Terriers were victorious in overtime against the Winnipeg Freeze Friday night, with the final score being 3-2.
The Freeze came out of the gate hot as Nathan Driver had a breakaway opportunity just three minutes into the game. Fortunately for the Terriers, goaltender Jayden Catellier made the stop.
Less than two minutes later, Matthew Yakubowski caught the Dogs’ defence off guard as he cut from the point down to the slot and was left wide open. Aiden Dufault fed him the puck and Yakubowski’s one-timer found the back of the net to give Winnipeg the early lead.
The Freeze kept the pressure on as they had a 2-on-1 chance near the eight-minute mark of the frame. Dean Gorchynski made a saucer pass over the stick of the Terrier defender and got it on the tape for Driver, who put Winnipeg up 2-0. The Freeze would hold the two-goal lead into the second period.
Near the halfway point in the game, Portage had a power-play opportunity. Tyler Dodgson passed the puck down low for Matt Wisener and immediately cut to the net. Wisener gave it back as he got in tight and Dodgson got the goalie out of position as he went to his backhand, but the puck went just wide of the net.
Later in the frame, a Winnipeg defenceman tried to take a slap-shot but broke his stick, leading to a rush the other way. Brenden Holba brought it in along the boards and dished the puck off to Darien Schaan, who was cutting down the middle. The local had a defender on him but fired a backhand shot that went top shelf and finally got the Terriers on the board.
The Terriers tied it up late in the period. With dying seconds left on their power-play, Dodgson was fed the puck at the point and waited the extra second to pick his spot before ripping a shot past Dawson Rattai. This tied the game up 2-2 after 40 minutes of play.
With 30 seconds left in regulation, Logan Calder was sprung on a partial breakaway but was absolutely robbed by the glove of Rattai. This meant the game was headed to overtime.
Calder had another great chance at the beginning of the extra frame as Wisener gave him a good pass but he fired it off the crossbar, however, he would redeem himself. He describes the final play of the game.
“I was on the forecheck. The guy threw the puck, and it hit my stick,” says Calder. “Wisey (Wisener) picked it up just inside the blue line, came down the wing, and fired a shot far pad. I just got the rebound and put it home.”
This sent the Terrier bench onto the ice to celebrate and brought us the final score of 3-2 Portage. Calder says it was unbelievably satisfying to finish off the game in the way he did.
“Getting those chances, seeing one ring off the crossbar, and have the goalie make a nice save on the other is frustrating,” Calder explains. “So, getting that final one to actually cross the goal line was nice.”
The Terriers will have a quick turnaround as they play the Freeze again tomorrow, this time in Winnipeg. The Dogs’ next home outing will be Wednesday, November 17, which will be game three against the Freeze. The date has been moved from the original date of Nov. 21.
