The Portage Terriers weren’t able to generate any sustained pressure on the Winkler Flyers Friday night and fell 3-0 on home ice.
Netminder Mitchell Kathler was the busiest Terrier throughout the night as Winkler outshot Portage 10-5, 15-4 and 12-9 in each period for a total of 37-18.
After a tight checking first period, Winkler opened the scoring in the second. Brady Craik tipped a Niklas Gudmundson point shot past Kathler three seconds after a Terrier penalty expired. Portage struggled throughout the night completing passes and holding the puck in the Winkler end. After a Terrier turnover, Connor Jensen fed Brody Beauchemin in front of the Terrier net and he put it under the cross bar for his 11th of the season. 2-0 Winkler after 2.
The game was physical throughout the night and tempers boiled over in the third. Will McKay dropped the gloves with Isaac Deveau and then Parker Scherr fought Trevor Dalton. It wasn’t enough to light a fire under the Terriers’ offence as Portage went 0/3 on the power play in the final frame and finished the game without a tally.
The Terriers win streak ends at four games and they are now 1-3 against the Flyers this season. Portage will visit the Winnipeg Blues on Sunday and then host the Winnipeg Freeze on Dec. 21 to close out the schedule before the Christmas break.
