PORTAGE, MB – The MJHL final for the Turnbull Cup is now a best-of-three affair.
After losing the first two games of the final by lopsided scored, the Terriers won their first two home games to even the best-of-seven series 2-2 with a dramatic 4-3 victory overtime victory Thursday night.
Portage shook off a late game-tying goal by OCN to even the series as Chase Brakel notched his sixth post-season goal at the 6:52 mark of overtime.
“We thought we had the empty-net goal (late in the third period), but we bounced back, and our top line always seems to find a way, and now we’re tied 2-2,” Terriers head coach Blake Spiller told CFRY following the game.
The two teams traded leads prior to the game winner. The Terriers opened the scoring 3:28 into the first period on the power play as Jeremy Leipsic scored his fifth of the post season.
The Blizzard took the lead with the next two goals. They tied the game 1:35 after Portage took the lead as Jeremy Dumont notched his sixth of the playoffs. They took the lead at the 12:09 mark of the second period as defenseman Maverick Rafter scored his first of the post season.
Portage drew even just 25 seconds in to the third period as Josh Martin scored his fifth of the playoffs, making the score 2-2.
The home team retook the lead 8:39 into the third, with rookie Cody Thompson notching his first playoff goal.
But after an empty-net goal was waived off due to an offside call, OCN sent the contest to overtime as George King scored his second of the post season with only 52 seconds left in regulation.
GAME NOTES – The home team has won every game in this series … 1,522 fans took in this game … Brakel was named the game’s first star … Game 5 goes Sunday in OCN. Game time is 7 p.m. Game 6 will take place in Portage next Wednesday, with a start time of 7:30 p.m.
