The Terriers suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of their rival the Steinbach Pistons. Always a great match up, the game did not disappoint.
The Terriers were off to a rough start. Down 3-0 after 20 minutes with goals from D.Anderson, Bochinski and Waddell. The Pistons would out shoot the Dogs 12-3 and capitalize on 1 of 4 powerplays.
Portage came out hot in the second and cut the Pistons lead to two with Clark beating Bengert high glove from the top of the circle. Sokoloski would notch his 1st of the regular season tipping a Thomson point shot to bring the score within one. Brakel would tie the game on the powerplay finding the back of the net with just 37 seconds to go in the period.
The Pistons started the third on the powerplay and Koga buried on Aiken once again giving Steinbach the lead. Sokoloski scored his 2nd of the game on the powerplay just 3 minutes later to once again tie the game.
Penalties would prove to be a problem for the Terriers as Schoonbaert would score the eventual game winner on the powerplay just over the halfway point of the period. Carlson would receive a 2 minute minor for hooking with 1:58 to go in the game and Aiken headed to the bench. Portage played out the period 6 on 4 but were unable to get it done and recorded their first loss of the regular season.
Coach and GM Blake Spiller had this to say about the effort. ” We didn’t seem to mount anything in the first. In the second I thought we came out here and played like we needed to and got ourselves back in the ballgame. Overall I think we got what we deserved here tonight, we didn’t have enough guys going.”
The Terriers head north this weekend to play OCN on Saturday and then in Swan River to face the Stampeders on Sunday.