The Portage Terriers will wrap up the 2018 portion of their season tonight when they take on the Neepawa Natives at Stride Place. The Dogs are riding a four-game winning streak and will look to make it five in a row heading into the Christmas break. These two teams have met three times already with the Terriers taking the win in all three matchups. The last time out, it was a 6-2 victory for the Dogs.

Terrier forward Scott Mickoski was recently re-acquired from the Natives after playing 19 games for Neepawa and he says they can't underestimate their opponent.

"They're a good group of guys, they're obviously not having the year they wanted to," says Mickoski. "Every game they come out hard and work their butts off to get two points. I don't think we can take them lightly because if we do we'll be in for a tough game."

Netminder Nathan Moore says they need to be strong in their own end.

"We need to be tough in the defensive zone, blocking shots wherever we can," notes Moore. "That will lead to offensive chances. We know we will get the chances on offence we just need to play hard in the defensive zone."

Tale of the Tape

Record
Portage Terriers 27-6-1-1 56 Pts.
Neepawa Natives 8-21-3-2 21 Pts.

Special Teams
The Terriers' special teams continue to be a strong part of their game, especially the powerplay. It ranks first in the league at 29.9%. Their penalty kill is currently fifth in the league, killing off 83.2% of penalties. Neepawa's powerplay sits in seventh place overall, operating at a 16.0% capacity. Their penalty kill is last in the league, working at 73.3%.

Team Leaders
Terriers - Joey Moffat 14G, 22A, 36 Pts.
Natives - Mackenzie Belinski 15G, 18A, 33 Pts.

Goaltenders
Terriers - Nathan Moore .887 save percentage and 2.71 GAA.
Natives - Kolby Thornton .902 save percentage and 3.74 GAA.

Tonight is Portage's final game before the Christmas break and it is against last-place Neepawa. The Terriers can wrap up 2018 on a winning note and keep their momentum heading into 2019. If the Dogs can play sound defensive hockey, they shouldn't have much trouble picking up the win. However, Neepawa won't just give the game away and you can bet they will be looking to make a statement heading into the break also. If they see that Portage isn't putting in their best effort defensively it will give them confidence which can turn the tide of the game very quickly. The Terriers had a fantastic start in their last outing, scoring three goals in under ten minutes, and if they do the same, it could be a long night for Neepawa fans.  Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm.