PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Manitoba – April Fool’s Day was not a day for jokes in Portage. This was the day 1432 people packed the Portage Credit Union Centre to watch the home town Portage Terriers open the MJHL final against their foes in the form of the Selkirk Steelers. Both the Steelers and Terriers were looking for a Turnbull Cup victory as each team is vying for chance to play into the RBC Cup in May. The first period was a scoreless affair, maybe a chance for the two teams to feel each other out.
But the Terriers seemed to have the edge over the Steelers as they exploded with 13 shots on net but Steelers goalie Jordan Washburn held them in the game.
The Steelers on the other hand could not solve the Terriers’ defence as they only mustered five shots on net. Selkirk played border line in the first period getting caught twice to serve to minor penalties four minutes apart. As the second period started the Steelers were again playing on the edge as they took a hooking penalty 59 seconds into the stanza. The Terriers had a chance on the powerplay but Washburn was on his A game as he and the Steelers killed off their third straight minor penalty.
Both teams traded powerplays and penalty kills over and over with five minor penalties in the first five minutes of the second period.
The home town team finally ignited the crowd when Brendan Harms and Brent Wold connected on a great tic-tac-toe with Tyler Moore and finally solved Washburn putting the home side up 1-0 at 7:26 of the first period. The trading on the power play and penalty kill continued at 9:43 of the second period with the Steelers and Terriers being caught twice, both PK units were working at 100% as the night went on.
The Terriers were still leading 1-0 until 16:40 of the second period when Tyler Grove and Derek Gagnon combined for assists when Craig Scott tied the game 1-1.
The electric Credit Union Centre went silent as Jason Kasdorf gave up the shut out.
Stephane Pattyn was given a penalty for charging at 4:22 and the Steelers power play unit came to life as Colan Jackson scored on the power play at 4:31 of the second period knotting the game up at two goals apiece.
With Pattyn still serving his charging penalty the Steelers took advantage for thier second power play at 5:42 of the second on a goal by Jory Geddes to give the Steelers thier first lead of the game. The third period was a more disciplined style of hockey and no penalties were called and both teams played with a clean nose. The third period was another scoreless affair and the Steelers were able to take the first game of a very important series and were able to do it on the road. As the third period came to a close the Steelers took the win but were outshot 31-21.
Interestingly enough, the Steelers never hit double digits on shots the lowest total being five in the first period. The Terriers however hit double digits in shot with 13 in the first and 11 in the third. It looks like the Steelers defence needs to work on the shut down style of hockey that we all know they have. The series shifts to the Selkirk Recreation Complex on Sunday night as the Steelers will try to take a 2-0 series lead.
Steelers fans should be electric tonight making it hard for the Terriers to gain momentum.
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