Terriers Eliminated From Western Canada Cup

The 2016/17 season came to a close last night for the Portage Terriers as they were eliminated from the Western Canada Cup. The Portage Terriers needed at least a point in their final game of round robin to make the playoffs, but they fell 5-3 in regulation to the host Penticton Vees.

Portage came out strong in the first period, giving themselves a chance to win. It would be Penticton though that got on the board first. Taylor Ward fired a pass toward the net and had it bounce off a skate past Kurtis Chapman. The Terriers got a bounce of their own a minute later. Mat Robson came out of his net to play a Riley Thiessen dump in, but it caromed off the glass and Chase Brakel buried it into the empty net. Portage took their first lead of the game 36 seconds later. Ty Barnstable hit Mackenzie Dwyer with a pass off the rush, and he fired it underneath the Vees goalie.

"Both two good teams going at it. It was really even through the first half of the game" says Terrier veteran Ryan Hendrix. "I mean we are a fifth place team in the MJHL and we proved we can play with these guys."

Penticton came out energized to start the second period and scored in the first two minutes. Grant Cruikshank was able to beat the Terriers D around the outside and tuck it past Chapman. Portage looked to take the lead again, but a Chase Brakel power play goal was disallowed due to goaltender interference.

Cruikshank then scored again eight minutes later on the power play. The puck came to him at the left circle and he beat Chapman "five-hole". Brakel would score his second of the night before the end of the second. A nifty passing play set up by Jeremey Leipsic and James McIsaac was finished by a perfect shot under the cross bar.

The Vees started the third period strong again. They outshot Portage in the final frame 15-1. It was former Terrier Taylor Sanheim that finished them off. As a Portage power play came to an end Sanheim knocked home a goal mouth scramble. The Terriers were unable to tie the game in the last  seven minutes and Manitoban Duncan Campbell put it out of reach scoring into the empty net.

Chapman finished the night making 27 saves on 31 shots. The Terriers have four 20-year old players graduating this season: Riley Thiessen, Carter McMurdo, Ryan Hendrix and Josh Martin.

"It was a great experience from day one. The guys did a great job" says Terrier captain Thiessen. "[People] didn't really pick us to win this year but we got here and it's a big accomplishment for us. We would have liked a better outcome, but it is what it is."

The Vees now advance to play the Battlefords North Stars in the 3 vs 4 matchup on Saturday afternoon. The Brooks Bandits will take on the Chilliwack Chiefs in the evening game at 7 pm (BC time) for the Western Canada Cup.

For the complete box score click here.