The Brockville Tikis just couldn't finish it off.

The Westport Rideaus found a way to win.

The Rideaus scored two goals in a nine-second span in the last three minutes to rally past the Tikis 4-3 in Rideau- St. Lawrence Junior B Hockey League action at the Memorial Centre on Wednesday night.

It was the end of the Brockville four-game winning streak, even though the Tikis had a great opportunity to make it five straight victories.

The Tikis were left to think about what could have been.

"It's frustrating, but at the same time, we'll use it as a learning tool," said Tikis head coach Adam Folco. "It's disappointing but those things happen. We'll use that as a lesson to make sure we get better at putting teams away."

With five minutes left in the game, the Tikis were leading 3-2 and going on a two-man advantage for a full two minutes.

Instead of pressuring for the insurance goal to put away the Rideaus, the Tikis almost played it like they were shorthanded.

It was about as poorly as a team could play a two-man advantage.

"That was the turning point right there, 100 per cent," agreed Folco. "We didn't have that killer instinct to get that goal to lock it up and they (Westport) came back."

Twenty-three seconds after the penalties ended, Westport's Kyle Couvieau fired a long pass to the edge of the Brockville crease and Cameron McNutt was there to redirect it into the net.

Nine seconds later, Scott Johnstone fired a shot from just above the faceoff circle and it went through Brockville goalie Ryan Bishop for the game-winner with just 2:42 remaining.

For the first half of the game, scoring goals was at a premium.

It was a scoreless first period where the Rideaus dominated play but the Tikis rallied for the best scoring chances near the end.

Brockville's Alex Bouchey was stopped in close and Robert Rice was stuffed on the rebound by Westport goalie Christian Mastromattei.

Then, Tikis' Shane Melcher rang a shot off the crossbar.

With 10:30 left in the fast-paced second period, Couvieau had a partial breakaway and Bishop stopped the league's leading scorer.

Two minutes later, Mastromattei robbed Melcher in close, leaving Brockville's top scorer feeling as crappy about his game as about his stomach woes.

The Tikis got on the scoreboard by scoring on a two-man advantage when Ethan Thomson sent the puck past a screened Mastromattei.

Two minutes later, Brockville jumped on a loose puck at the Westport blueline and Cody Johnson turned it into a goal and a 2-0 Tikis lead.

Westport received a gift goal from Kurt Thompson with 18 seconds left in the period when Bishop misplayed a shot from the corner of the rink.

Westport carried the play in the third period with the Tikis trying to hang on.

With 10 minutes remaining, Bishop stole a goal from Thompson.

On the ensuing faceoff, three seconds later, Eric Ringer's shot from the point found its way through bodies to tie the game 2-2.

At 10:56, Brockville newcomer Alex Campbell fired a shot at net that Jordan Moran just stuck his stick at. The puck deflected behind Mastromattei for a 3-2 Tikis advantage.

"We played them exactly how we wanted for 55 minutes," said Folco. "But, playing the top team for 55 minutes isn't enough."

The win moves the Rideaus four points ahead of the Athens Aeros in the race for first place in the Rideau Division.

The Tikis are firmly entrenched in third place, but unlikely to catch the Aeros or have the Gananoque Islanders overtake them.

The Tikis are in Akwesasne to play the Wolves on Saturday night and then host the Char-Lan Rebels on Sunday at the Memorial Centre at 2:30 p.m.