“It is great to get the series sweep and give our guys some time off before the next round,” said Windigo coach Blake Hietala, a Houghton native and former Michigan Tech Huskies player.

Looking to complete the sweep and earn that much-needed rest, the Windigo jumped out to an early lead Friday just 7:11 into the game when Victor Widlund buried a feed from Luke Levandowski.

After an evenly played opening frame, the Steel fought back with a pair of goals in the first four minutes of the second as part of a 16-shot period. However, at 15:42, Everett Pietila wristed one past Steel goaltender Adam Gajan to tie things at 2-2.

Pietila potted his second of the night just 2:35 into the third from below the goal line, giving the Windigo back the lead.

Wisconsin forward Everett Pietila (15) releases a shot to tie the game during the third game of his team’s North American Hockey League Midwest Division semifinal series against Chippewa on Friday in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. (Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Windigo)

They held that 3-2 advantage until the final minute, when the Steel pulled Gajan for an extra attacker. Will Schumacher sealed the win for the Windigo with a shot from his own end into the empty net.

“We have seen all of our lines contribute offensively in this series,” Hietala said. “The line of Widlund, Schumacher and Levandowski, stepped up.”

Hietala liked the fact that his group was able to finish off the sweep, but felt that his team could have been a bit more sharp in the contest.

“While I am happy with the win, we played, at best, an average game,” he said. “We were undisciplined with the puck at times. Fortunately, they weren’t able to capitalize on too many of those turnovers. We lost a bit of structure in our play as well, missing assignments, and doing too much looping out there.”

Hietala felt that some of what caused the sloppy play could have been some illness, which the Windigo have been battling.

“We have been battling illness and injuries the last several days,” he said. “I’m glad we were able to close out the series such that we have a couple of days rest prior to commencing preparations for the (Minnesota) Wilderness.

We can be better. Our best hockey is in front of us.”

Windigo goaltender Max Beckford finished the night with 32 saves to earn the win. Hietala was very pleased with his performance.

Sweeping the home games

In the series opener on Friday, April 21, the Windigo got on the board early, and then held on late to earn the win.

Zach Burfoot picked off a clearing attempt and fed it over to Ben Anderson, who redirected the pass past Gajan just 20 seconds into the contest.

Six minutes later, the Windigo struck again when Chris Kernan tipped a shot from Drew Fisher past Gajan.

The Steel cut the lead in half in the second period, but could not close the gap from there. In the third, the Windigo responded by putting the game out of reach.

Zach Cline scored shorthanded to put Wisconsin up 3-1 just 8:09 in. Pietila picked up an assist on the tally.

With Gajan pulled for an extra attacker late, Widlund iced the game with an empty net goal at 18:44.

Beckford made 36 saves to earn the win.

In Game Two, the Windigo again jumped out to an early lead when Patrick Isiguzo found a loose puck and buried it past Gajan.

The game remained a one-goal lead for Wisconsin until the Steel found the net at 13:12 of the middle frame, setting up a chance to even the series in the third. The Steel rattled off nine shots, but Beckford remained stout in goal, holding things even until overtime.

In overtime, the Windigo killed off a Steel power play. Shortly after the advantage ended, the Windigo broke out in a 3-on-1. Sam Jacobs and Cole Michel worked a give-and-go and Jacobs buried a one-timer off a pass from Michel for the game-winner.

Beckford stopped 34 shots to earn the win.

Up next

The Windigo will host a best-of-five series with the Wilderness, starting Friday, May 5, and Saturday, at the Eagle River Sports Arena. Games Three and Four will be played in Cloquet, Minnesota the following weekend, with a fifth and deciding game, if necessary, at the Eagle River Sports Arena on Sunday, May 14. Games One and Two will start at 8 p.m. Eastern. Game Five would start at 7 p.m. Eastern.