Keaton Leininger scored a hat trick and Duncan McGovern was steady in net, as the Dauphin Kings downed the Portage Terriers 3-1 in Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) action Sunday night at the PCU Centre in Portage la Prairie.

“Their goaltender was pretty solid ... I just didn't think we played with a whole bunch of urgency,” says Terriers head coach Blake Spiller. “We made plays, had some chances, but just didn't dig in around the net.”

Jeremey Leipsic scored the lone goal for the Terriers, which outshot Dauphin 26-17 but had trouble finding holes in McGovern, a Winnipeg native who played the 2015-16 season with the Central Plains Capitals.

The Terriers had an opportunity midway through the first period to jump ahead, but McGovern denied Turner Santin point blank. Ryan Sokoloski led a 2-on-1 rush up the left-wing and, while trying to deke around a defenceman in the slot, had the puck roll off his stick right to Santin, who had a wide open look. But McGovern slid across to his glove side to make a highlight reel save, drawing a collective gasp from the crowd.

Shortly after, the Kings struck first. After a failed clearing attempt at the blueline by Aidan Buhler, Leininger found himself with the the puck on his stick in the high slot. He fired a shot past Aiken on the blocker side to make it 1-0 with 7:32 to go in the first.

The Terriers responded 1:59 later on the power play. After Layne Toder kept the puck in at the point, he moved it across to Chase Brakel, who feathered a pass to Leipsic at the top of the circle. He streaked towards the goal before snapping a shot off the post and past McGovern on the blocker side to tie the game 1-1.

Dauphin broke the deadlock late in the second period with a power play goal. Leininger, who played 21 games for the Terriers during the 2015-16 season before being dealt to Dauphin, notched his second of the game with 2:10 to play in the frame. After an offensive zone face off win, he crept into the slot, deked around one defender then fired a wrist shot that beat Aiken on the glove side to give the Kings a 2-1 lead.

The Terriers nearly equalized just over two minutes into the third. Brakel hit Leipsic with a pass in a slot off an odd man rush, but Leipsic couldn't get a shot off and barrelled straight into McGovern. The puck wound up in the net, but the play was immediately waved off.

Midway through the third Leipsic and Brakel nearly connected again, this time on a 2-on-1 rush. Brakel came down the left-wing and tried to hit Leipsic with a pass on the goalmouth, but Dauphin defender Austin Friesen was able to break up the play.

Leininger completed his hat trick in the final minute with a lengthy empty-netter.

McGovern made 25 saves in the win, while Aiken stopped 14 taking the loss. Portage outshot Dauphin 26-17 while going 1 for 5 on the power play; Dauphin finished 1 for 1.

UP NEXT

The Terriers (26-13-1) play the second of three straight home games Wednesday, when they welcome the OCN Blizzard (26-13-3) to the PCU Centre. Portage is 3-2 in five prior meetings with the Blizzard this season.

STANDINGS GLANCE

After Sunday's setback to Dauphin, the Terriers sit in fifth-place, six points clear of the sixth-place Winnipeg Blues (21-16-5), and two points back of OCN, with two games in hand. Portage is five points back of the third-place Winkler Flyers (28-10-2) and eight points shy of the second-place Selkirk Steelers (29-11-3), with three games in hand.

THIESSEN NAMED CAPTAIN

Defenceman Riley Thiessen bore the 'C' for the first time in Sunday's game against Dauphin. Thiessen, 20, was a member of the 2015-16 Turnbull Cup winning roster.

"He's been here and won a championship. He's a solid, quiet leader that plays hard every night,” Spiller says. “We talked about a few different options, but everybody came to the same conclusion that he's the guy for the job.”

Thiessen: “It's pretty special being captain and just being looked at as a leader.”

BUMPS AND BRUISES

Defenceman Spencer Kuhlman (lower-body) is likely out until at least the end of January ... Defenceman Nick Doyle (lower-body) isn't expected to return until mid-February.