One last breath.

The Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) Trojans varsity hockey team will be fighting to stay alive this afternoon at the 2017 AAAA Milk Provincial High School Hockey Championships, after falling 3-1 to the Dakota Collegiate Lancers to open the tournament at Stride Place this morning.

Devin Bulloch, Braeden Ness and Aidan Gillespie scored for Dakota Collegiate. Steven Vey tallied for the Trojans.

“I anticipated us being a little flat. Our boys hadn't skated with any real purpose for a couple of weeks,” says Trojans coach Chris Delong. “We weren't sure what we were going to get, we weren't sure of the opposition.”

“But we beared down, and I'm proud of them. It was a 2-1 game until the final minute and could have easily gone the other way.”

After a scoreless first period, Bulloch scored midway through the second to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead. Minutes later Ness added a goal to make it 2-0. Then PCI responded, as Vey scored with just over four minutes left in the middle frame to cut Dakota's lead to 2-1.

Gillespie added an insurance marker in the final minute of regulation.

Riley Steinbach made 13 saves in the win, while Parker Page stopped 27 taking the loss. Dakota Collegiate outshot PCI 30-14.

Page was named the game's first star, holding his team to within a goal until the latter stages despite being heavily outshot. The Grade 12 student cherished the experience of playing in a provincial championship on home ice in his graduating year.

“It was honestly surreal,” Page says. “I went out there thinking this will probably be one of my last games, so I'll have to stand on my head and be there for my team, and they will be there for me.”

The Trojans (0-1) play their final pool play game at 1 p.m., today against Winnipeg's Vincent Massey Collegiate. PCI needs a win to keep its chances of advancing to the semifinals alive.