The Waywayseecappo Wolverines continue their five-game homestand on Tuesday night when they welcome the visiting Portage Terriers.
For the Wolverines, the team is coming off of a key 5-0 victory over the Winnipeg Blues that pushed the club back into a fifth-place position in the standings.
Consistency and playing for a full sixty-minute effort will be the name of the game for the Wolverines down the stretch for the final 18 games of the regular-season schedule. Discipline will also play a key role in the Wolverines success
It’s been a battle all season long against the Terriers and it should be another great one on Tuesday night when the two clubs meet in their second to last game of the season.
Head to Head
There’s been no shortage of excitement for the fans in the Wolverines and Terriers first four meetings of this season. Going 2-2-0-0, the Wolverines and Terriers victories were all come from behind efforts that came down to the wire.
Down 3-1 in the third period back in October, the Wolverines scored a pair in the third before Tyler Leibl potted the overtime winner.
In their next meeting, the Wolverines led by scores of 3-1 and 5-3 before the Terriers went on to score four in the third including two on the man-advantage to take the 7-5 win.
Leading 3-1 after the first period in their next meeting, the Wolverines would surrender four straight before Jaymes Knee brought the club within one. That’s as close as it would get as the Wolverines would fall 5-4.
In their most recent matchup, the see-saw battle continued. Down 4-3 heading into the third period, the Wolverines turned it on and scored twice in 1:13 to take the 5-4 lead and secure the win.
After tonight’s game, the two teams will meet for one last time on January 31 in Portage la Prairie.
Terriers Outlook
The Terriers come into Tuesday night having gone 6-3-1-0 in their last ten games including a recent 4-3 overtime loss to the Selkirk Steelers on Sunday night.
For Portage, it’s their depth that makes them successful and not just the play of one or two players. They boast four balanced lines and added to that crop ahead of the deadline.
Portage was certainly the busiest team prior to the trade deadline as their club is in preparation to host the Tim Hortons Centennial Cup in May.
The Terriers now have a legitimate starting goaltender in 20-year-old Noah Giesbrecht who was acquired just after the start of January from the OCN Blizzard. They also added Carter Barley, Parker Malchuk and Austen Flaman to the mix.
Portage continues to hold the league’s number one powerplay with its 29.6% conversion rate with the man-advantage.
News and Notes
The Wolverines enter Tuesday night with a one-point lead on the sixth place Oil Capitals while the club sits five points back of the fourth-place Stampeders.
Deadline acquisitions Colin Ahern and Alex Rivet fit into the Wolverines lineup seamlessly with Ahern picking up a shutout win and Rivet adding an assist in the teams 5-0 win over Winnipeg.
Tuesday marks the start of a busy week for the Wolverines with three games in four nights which will see the Selkirk Steelers pay a visit on Thursday and Friday.
Including Tuesday night, just 18 games remain on the Wolverines regular-season schedule.
Nick Doyle, Jaymes Knee, Conrad Phillips, and Jack Kennedy were named to Team Zajac on Monday ahead of the 3rd Annual MJHL/SJHL Showcase.
Where to Watch
Watch tonight’s game between the Wolverines and Terriers live on HockeyTV.com or follow the Wolverines on Twitter @mjhlWolverines for live game updates.