The PCI Trojans let a third period lead slip away last night and fell 3-2 to the Carman Cougars in Zone IV hockey at Stride Place in Portage la Prairie.

The Trojans were up 2-1 by the end of the first period and were looking great at both ends of the ice. That would steadily decline through the second, and a strong effort was hard to find in third. That's when Carman notched two goals to take the lead.

"We got away from our game plan," says Chris DeLong, Trojans head coach. "We played an awesome first period and I think maybe the boys thought they had it in the bag. We're not used to playing with a lead and it cost us because we let up, and (because of that) weren't able to get that eqaulizer."

Trojans' Steven Vey and Lane Blight each tallied goals in the loss.

They won't have time to think about what went wrong with a road game in St. Claude Friday night. "If we want to start setting patterns for the playoffs it starts (tonight)," DeLong admits. "We scared (Carman) and they're a top team. We know we can play with them, we can compete with any team in this league on any night."

The Trojans and Prairie Mountain Mustangs go at 7:30 in St. Claude.