The Portage Terriers have lost their first game of 2019.

The visiting Swan Valley Stampeders got a second period goal from Campbell Balk and a late empty net goal to defeat Portage 2-0 ending the Terriers' winning streak at 11.

Coach and GM Blake Spiller says they got outplayed by a veteran hockey club in the second period and early in the third, and that's all it took.

"We had a handful of guys who I thought played real well here, and some guys were passengers and when you're playing a top team like that, you (have to) have everybody going," said Spiller. "We lose by one, two with an empty net, you (have to) take positives out of that. If we have everybody pulling their weight here, I like our chances."

He says the team finally got going in the final frame, but it was too late.

"I thought we played well here in the third period to give ourselves a chance but we just didn't have enough guys going throughout the game," says Spiller. "Their goalie was good tonight, and I thought our goalie was good tonight."

Merek Pipes made 42 saves for the Stamps while Nathan Moore stopped 25 of 26 in a losing effort.

You can see the full box score here.

The Terriers do not play again until next Wednesday when they head to Selkirk to face the Steelers.