The Portage Terriers opened the postseason in the win column as they defeated the Dauphin Kings 4-2 and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

The Terriers were kept off the board for longer than they would've like to start this game but their first chance came just over seven minutes into the first. Owen Murray took the puck coast-to-coast, getting through a few defenders on his way before he made a move in front and nearly got the puck past goalie Levi Mitchell but somehow it was kept out.

A minute later, Braeden Young got the puck beside the net and tried to feed it to Avery Smith as he cut down the middle lane. Smith couldn't quite handle the pass but the puck went right back to Young and he put it home to open the scoring.

Four minutes into the second, Smith cut in front of the net with the puck. He was unable to get a clean shot off but Cole DeKoninck was in tight for the rebound, however, Terriers' goaltender Noah Giesbrecht was able to regroup and keep the puck out.

Seven minutes to go in the second period, Kolton Shindle had a partial breakaway opportunity. He fired a shot from the slot that was stopped but he stuck with the puck and took a backhand shot looking to go high as the goalie was down, unfortunately, he went a little too high and just over the crossbar.

Less than a minute later, Shindle had the puck as the dogs entered the offensive zone and he made a pass to Carter Barley near the top of the circle who sniped a shot past Mitchell tying the game at one heading into the break.

Just under two minutes into the third, Mack Belinski cut in front of the net and tried to tuck the puck underneath Mitchell. The puck was kept out but Jacob Piller picked up the rebound in close but he fired it over the net.

Less than a minute after that, Koby Morrisseau picked up the puck in the corner and skated it up to the high slot area. He fired a shot toward the net that was tipped down on its way by Logan Christensen and made it into the back of the net. 2-1 Terriers.

Still in the first five minutes of the frame, Grady Hobbs made a pass in tight as the Kings had a power-play chance. The Kings had quite a few wacks at it and the Terriers had two opportunities to clear it but couldn't get it out so DeKoninck was able to find the loose puck and tap it in the back of the net.

A minute and a half later, just after Dauphin took a four-minute penalty, Belinski had the puck at the side of the net and held it for a second as Parker Malchuk skated down to the back door area. Belinski fed him at the perfect time and Malchuk's one-timer went into the wide-open cage giving the Terriers back the lead.

Not even a minute later, with the Terriers still on the power-play, Sam Huston ripped a shot on net from the point that was stopped. Piller was in front for the rebound but was denied, however, the puck rolled out to Joey Moffatt who took a shot and beat Mitchell to make it a two-goal lead.

Both teams had a few chances late but the final score remained 4-2 Terriers.

Forward Joey Moffatt describes the keys to the win.

"I think obviously the penalty kill and power-play," says Moffatt. "I think that's going to be the difference here in this series. If we can shut down their power-play and score on ours it's going to be huge."

Forward Logan Christensen talks about how they got into a groove offensively.

"Bars(Carter Barley) with that one in the second there was big for us to get some momentum going," says Christensen. "Special teams was good for us, we got two on the power-play. That was huge for us."

Game two of this first-round series resumes on Sunday, March 8th at Stride Place with puck drop set for 6:30.