A spectacular performance from the Terriers' top forward line carried them to an 8-3 win over Virden yesterday. They knocked off the Oil Caps in an afternoon Manitoba Junior Hockey League match at Stride Place in Portage.

Chase Brakel, Jeremy Leipsic and James McIsaac combined for seven points in the first period. McIsaac scored the opening goal of the game 3:24 in. He was the recipient of a pass from Leipsic and tapped one home at the back door passed Virden goalie Riley McVeigh. Chase Brakel also picked up an assist on the play. Virden's Ben Dalke tied the game with a powerplay goal with six minutes left in the period. Chase Brakel answered back for Portage. He was the high man with Leipsic and McIsaac leading the way. He fought off a check in the slot and put it under McVeigh's blocker to make it 2-1. The Dogs took another penalty shortly after the Brakel goal and the Oil Caps converted with the extra attacker for the second time in less than five minutes. Portage got a powerplay opportunity toward the end of the frame and McIsaac netted his second of the night to give them a 3-2 lead. The shots were 13-7 after 20 minutes.

"I thought we had a good jump right from the start," says Terriers head coach Blake Spiller. "We were a few guys short up front but everyone came to play. We had our feet going and made it hard on their back end, we got the forecheck going and that's always key. We're not a big club and not really physical, but we need to play that style where we're on pucks quick to try and create turnovers that way, and I think we did that here."

Players watch as Ty Enns and Drayson Skulmoski battle in the corner. They were each awarded 10-minute misconducts on the play Feb. 20, 2017. (Photo by Aaron Wilgosh)

Emotions started to show in a physical second period. Several scrums formed after the play and there were multiple coincidental penalties issued. Portage fought their way through their aggressive opponents to score two more goals in the second. McIsaac got his hat trick goal near the halfway mark of the frame. Leipsic left the puck at the blue line and McIsaac walked in uncontested and fired it top corner to make it 4-2. Turner Santin scored his eighth of the year a few minutes later, he has three goals in his last two games. Brakel and Mackenzie Dwyer snagged assists on the Santin goal. The Oil Caps had two powerplay opportunities but the Terriers were able to keep them off the scoreboard. Portage added another 11 to their shot total to lead 24-14 after forty minutes.

Portage continued to dominate in the final 20. Ty Enns lit the lamp two minutes in at the back door, and McIsaac popped in his fourth goal of the night on the powerplay a few minutes later. Dalke would get his second of the night for the Oil Caps to make it 7-3 but the Terriers continued to control the play afterward. Mackenzie Dwyer would add the final goal to make it 8-3 with Brakel and McIsaac picking up the assists. The Dogs' top line combined for 14 points, McIsaac finished with six, Brakel and Leipsic each finished with four. Brock Aiken picked up the win in net with 12 saves.

"We're still going to have a chance to get into fourth place with the win," adds Spiller. "Hopefully, we end up fourth so we can get home ice in that series. We have to wait and see, though, there are a lot of games left. We won't know who we're going to face until the season is done."

The Terriers next game is Friday when they visit Neepawa.