A late third-period goal was enough to sink the Wolverines on Sunday night as the club finds themselves down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series after a heartbreaking 3-1 loss to the Portage Terriers.
In the first period, you could feel the energy in the building right from puck drop. The Wolverines fed off the crowds atmosphere and played a solid first period.
After the Wolverines were able to kill off a pair of Terrier powerplays, the two clubs would exit the first twenty minutes of play locked at zeros with the shots 12-8 in favor of the Terriers.
It was more of the same in the second period as each team would exchange blows and get their chances. With both goaltenders playing well, each team had their work cut out for them.
At 10:20 of the frame, Portage would strike first. On a Wolverines powerplay, a broken play would lead to Cody Thompson scoring a shorthanded marker when his shot beat Isaac LaBelle over the glove on a breakaway.
Following each team getting their opportunity on the powerplay, Portage would take their 1-0 lead into the second intermission.
Whatever was said in the Wolverines dressing room between periods certainly worked.
Just 53 seconds into the final twenty minutes of play, Brandon Lawson skated down the left wing before he snapped a shot past the glove of Terriers goaltender, Ethan Peterson to tie the game up at 1-1. Both Jaymes Knee and Jack Kennedy picked up assists on the scoring play.
After some more back and forth play, Portage would find a way to beat LaBelle in the late going.
With just under four minutes to play in the third, Jay Buchholz would squeak one past LaBelle to give the Terriers a 2-1 lead.
Waywayseecappo would pull LaBelle with a minute remaining and surrender an empty net goal which would be enough in the end. Portage takes a 2-0 series lead with their 3-1 win on Sunday night.
Next up for the Wolverines is a date with the Terriers in game three on Wednesday night in Portage at 7:30.