The Portage Terriers were back on the ice tonight at Stride Place. They were taking on the last-place Neepawa Natives. These two teams have met twice so far this season with Portage coming away with a victory both times. The latest coming earlier this month in a 5-4 overtime finish. The Dogs come into this game having shutout Winkler last night 3-0 while Neepawa had lost their last two. It wasn't the prettiest of hockey games but Portage came away with a 6-2 victory.

Ty Barnstable looks to pass.The first period was a frame in which neither team played their best hockey. Missed breakout passes and turnovers abounded throughout the period. It was the Natives getting on the board first when Mackenzie Belinksi took advantage of a turnover in the neutral zone and went in on Terrier netminder Nathan Moore. Moore stopped the first shot but Belinksi batted the rebound out of mid-air, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. A pair of powerplays for the Terriers didn't look like their characteristic scoring machine. However with time expiring on their second man-advantage, Sheldin Howard wired a Reilly Funk pass top corner on Neepawa goalie Nik Anderson. The teams would head to the dressing room knotted at one.

The second period saw the Terriers put together a more solid effort. Just over a minute into the period, Reece Henry banged in a loose puck to break the tie. Sam Huston got his first MJHL goal to double the Dogs' lead when he let loose a cannon of a shot from the point. Jacob Brown then pushed the lead to 4-1 when he whacked in a loose puck during a scrum in front of Anderson. Portage generated sustained pressure throughout the frame. The Terriers would be up three heading into the final 20 minutes of play.

In the third, the Terriers continued to pad their lead. Ty Barnstable netted his 14th of the year after he took a nice feed from Tyler Van Deynze. Neepawa got one back however just over a minute later when Jesse Gibbons was the final recipient on a three on one off a neutral zone turnover. Logan Calder rounded out the scoring when he banged in a loose puck in front of Anderson.

Terrier's Head Coach Blake Spiller says his team needs to be better even though they got the win.

"I thought the last couple games were a little scrambly by us," says Spiller. "Lots of whacking and hacking at pucks. There just didn't seem to be a whole lot of flow. it was better today than last night but sometimes that's the way the game goes. We've got some tough games coming up this weekend with Waywayseecappo and Swan Valley so we have to make sure we're better."

With the win, Portage leapfrogs Swan Valley to take over first place in the league with both teams having played the same number of games. Portage will be back in action on Saturday Dec. 1st when they welcome the Waywayseecappo Wolverines to Stride Place. Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm.