The Portage Terriers are looking to start up another win streak tonight in Winnipeg. The Dogs are hitting the road for their next two games, starting with a matchup against the Blues.
The Dogs are coming off a convincing 6-2 win over the Niverville Nighthawks, where they managed to double the Nighthawks shot total. Forward Karson Kings says the key to sustaining their success will be to play as a unit for all 60 minutes.
"I think just connected as a team and not getting down on each other is important," says King. "(We have to) stay positive throughout the whole year."
Portage will be taking on a Blues team that has yet to lose this season, winning three of the four meetings by three goals. However, the Blues will be eager for a victory as they have lost four of their last five games and have a bottom-three record in the MJHL.
The Terriers have added a few new players to the fold in recent weeks, including King.
"The first couple of games, I was definitely struggling," King explains. "Now, I'm starting to find my place and get used to the pace. So, it's going to be good from here."
While the Blues have just seven wins this year, one area they have excelled is penalty killing. Winnipeg fights off 85.7 of the penalties they take, which will make for a good test of the Terriers' power-play. The Dogs convert on 23.2 per cent of their chance with the man-advantage, which is top three in the MJHL.
Brandon McCartney sits at the top of the league when it comes to power-play assists with 12, and Ryan Botterill places second in the MJHL in power-play goals with seven.
The Terriers and Blues will faceoff tonight in Winnipeg, with puck drop set for 5:00.
Tale of the Tape
Record
Terriers: 17-5-0
Blues: 7-13-3
Team Leaders
Terriers: Hayden Lacquette (7G, 19A, 26Pts)
Blues: Luke Janus (11G, 13A, 24Pts)
Goaltenders
Terriers: Jayden Catellier (2.84GAA, 0.899SV%)
Blues: Brock Moroz (4.79GAA, 0.885SV%)