The Portage Terriers dropped a heart breaker on Friday night 4-3 in double overtime to the Dauphin Kings.
The Terriers started the game strong until a penalty derailed their momentum. Matthew Thomas then scored on the power play to make it 1-0 Kings. Rylan Gage made it 2-0 late in the period for his second of the playoffs. After letting in 2 goals on 14 shots, Terrier goalie Ryan Velan was done for the night, and Mitchell Kathler came into the game in relief.
The Terriers came out firing in the second period and tied up the game. Caleb Lepitre scored on the power play and Scott Cousins scored in front of the net seconds after a power play expired. It was the first game of the playoffs the Terriers went into the third period tied.1
In the third period the Terriers coughed up the puck in their own end and Matthew Thomas scored his second of the night to make it 3-2 Dauphin. Portage went into scramble mode trying to tie the game. With less than three minutes left rookie Jonah Lemoine scored his first as a Terrier to send the game to overtime.
The first overtime period was all Portage as they outshot Dauphin 8-3. Cole Sheffield made some key saves to keep the game tied. Early in double overtime Nolan Nenow took a penalty for goalie interference. The Kings capitalized on the man advantage cleaning up a rebound at the side of the net.
The Kings lead the series 3-1 which means Portage will now face elimination for the first time this post season when they host Dauphin in game 5 on Saturday night. Pick drop is at 7:30 p.m.