The Winkler Flyers struggled on Sunday night, dropping a 7-3 decision to the first place Portage Terriers in their sixth and final meeting of the regular season. Tied 3-3 after 20 minutes, the Flyers gave up two in the second and two more in the third, having their winning streak stopped at three games.
Coming off three straight wins at home, the Flyers began a five game road trip in Portage, looking to snap a five game winless streak on the road. The Flyers got off to a bad start, finding themselves down 2-0 early in the game for the second straight outing.
After Chase Brakel and Brad Bowles both scored for Portage in the opening two minutes and seventeen seconds, Scott Gall scored his 20th of the season before the four minute mark, cutting the Terriers’ lead to 2-1. Kurt Sonne assisted on Gall’s sixth goal in his last seven games.
The Flyers pulled even four minutes later thanks to Zak Hicks’ one-timer, beating Nathan Park glove side to tie the game 2-2. Tristan Keck extended his point streak to eight games with the assist on Hicks’ 15th.
With 3:50 left in the opening period, the Flyers coughed up the puck behind the net and the Terriers took advantage, moving in front 3-2. However, Winkler got that one back before the intermission. From behind the goal line in the Terriers zone, Cam Whyte passed the puck in front of the net to Tristan Keck who picked the corner for his team leading 29th goal of the season, tying the game up at three. Thomas Mansbridge also assisted.
The Flyers fortunes did not improve in the second as Brad Bowles scored his second of the game, six minutes into the period, and 22 seconds later he assisted on Brandon Stanley’s goal to push Portage in front 5-3. Failing to generate much offense and having their mistakes end up in the back of their net, the Flyers went into the third period down by two goals.
The Flyers frustrations boiled over in the final frame after the Terriers potted two more early in the period. After Dionne Demke and Zak Hicks were already ejected for fighting earlier in the period, Kurt Sonne, Braden Billaney and Nathan Karlowsky were also sent off after a skirmish with 4:35 left to play.
Connor Slipp (14-4) took the loss in goal for Winkler and was replaced by Nathan Warren after the Terriers seventh goal. Three of Slipp’s four losses this season have come against Portage. The Terriers outshot Winkler 32-16 overall. Winkler went 0-for-3 on the power-play and 5-for-7 on the penalty-kill. The Flyers end their six game season series against the Terriers with a 2-4 record.
The Flyers will continue their five game road trip on Tuesday, January 26th against the Selkirk Steelers. Puck drop at the Selkirk Recreation Complex is 7:30pm, with Matt Friesen’s pregame show live on Country 88.9FM and online at www.pembinavalleyonline.com getting underway at 7:25pm.
Great Canadian Oil Change Three Stars
1st Star – F Adam Wowryk (Portage)
2nd Star – F Chase Brakel (Portage)
3rd Star – F Tristan Keck (Winkler)
Winkler Canvas Hardest Working Flyer
D Tyler Jubenvill