The Steinbach Pistons are on the verge of elimination after their third straight loss at the hands of the Portage Terriers, 4-3 on Friday night.

Steinbach got on the board first in the opening period as Wyatt Hinson shoveled home a loose puck from the side of the net to make it 1-0. Mack Graham picked up the lone assist on Hinson's 3rd of the playoffs. Portage tied the game on a power play late in the first period and went into intermission tied 1-1.

In the second, Jordan Bochinski blazed a path down the wing, using his speed to drive to the net and Danny Pion found the loose puck and scored to give Steinbach a 2-1 lead. Portage responded with two straight goals, another one on the power play to take their first lead of the game 3-2.

A scary moment in the second period as Terriers defender Carter McMurdo hit Pistons forward Will Koop from behind. McMurdo was given a 5:00 major penalty and a game ejection. After being down for several minutes, Koop was able to stand and make his way to the locker room for the remainder of the period.

In the third, the Terriers scored again to make it 4-2. 

Steinbach got an emotional lift as Koop made his way back out onto the ice, wearing a full cage after having his mouth cut from the check from behind. With just over a minute to go in the game, Koop scored to cut the lead to 4-3. Bradley Schoonbaert and Tyler Anderson had the assists on the goal.

It was as close as the Pistons would get and now face a tough hill to climb being down in the series 3-1.

The power play fizzled finishing 0-5 while the penalty kill surrendered a pair of markers finishing 4-6. Roman Bengert made 24 saves in the game.

Game 5 is Sunday night in Steinbach. Doc Walker will be special guests at the game, doing the puck drop, a meet and greet with fans and joining the broadcast on Mix 96 and SteinbachOnline.com in the second intermission.