The Portage College Voyageurs hockey team dropped the second of three games this weekend to the NAIT Ooks in a tough 7-2 loss Saturday night at the Bold Center.
Two nights after the team lost 5-0 to NAIT in Edmonton, the Voyageurs played through most of the first period like they might have been able to weather the storm. But Ook forward Michael Piluso scored on a one-timer with less than two minutes left in the frame, a power play goal seconds into the game's first penalty.
"We gotta clean up our D-zone a lot for tomorrow, and we gotta match their work ethic," said head coach Jim Knight. "Each man has to be a lot better than we were tonight, each guy has to simplify their game."
The Voyageurs had some chances, like a rush late in the first where Cory Giroux's cross-ice pass arrived a moment too early for Kyle Threndyle. But the goal was a fair result for a period where NAIT forced turnovers at their blueline and managed a sweltering shot count of 19 to Portage's 2.
They were punished again in the second period, conceding early. The Voyageurs offence was able to get more shots on goal and had a hopeful two-on-one rush shorthanded with eight minutes remaining, but they were limited to single attempts and couldn't set up a rhythm.
"The one thing with NAIT, they're so relentless on the forecheck, backcheck, they never stop moving their feet," Knight said. "(They) just tire you down and once you make a mistake, bang, it's in the net."
The Ooks hung back and kept testing Portage goaltender Kirby Halcrow from the right wing. In the final minute of the period it paid off, with NAIT's Scott Fellnermayr catching Halcrow high on the blocker side.
Portage broke the shutout 16 seconds into the third period when Dustin Popowitch fought his way alone to the NAIT goal, but the Ooks responded within four minutes to take back the momentum. Two NAIT goals in 14 seconds around the 8-minute mark spelled the end of the night for Halcrow, who handed duties over to Nathan Montgrand. Montgrand made 12 saves in as many minutes of play, allowing a goal to Liam Darragh.
The Voyageurs just couldn't protect Halcrow, who had faced 60 shots on Thursday, from another day of lopsided shot totals. The team was outshot 61-24. Between the two nights, Halcrow mustered 92 saves and performed admirably, but NAIT was given too much time Saturday to test him from the wing.
"He could sue for lack of support tonight," Knight said. "Maybe there's a couple goals he wanted back, just himself, but otherwise I thought we didn't do a very good job at times in front of him."
If Portage's offence was limited to individual attempts, they managed to capitalize on some of those breakthroughs, between Popowitch's marker and a goal on breakaway nine minutes into the third when Jordan Geddes fed a pass Justin Linner, who went five-hole on NAIT goalkeeper Kyle Birch.
The Voyageurs won't have much time to recuperate, with a rematch Sunday afternoon in Lac La Biche to make up for a postponed game earlier in the season. Portage is in pole position for the final open spot in the ACAC playoffs sitting one point ahead of Concordia, who lost both their games against Grant MacEwan this weekend.
