EAGLE RIVER, Wis. — With a weekend that saw them play three games in three days, the Wisconsin Windigo remained on top of the North American Hockey League’s Midwest Division by sweeping the Janesville Jets on Friday and Saturday after dropping a game to the Chippewa Steel on Thursday night. The Windigo fell 1-0 to the Steel, then defeated the Jets 5-2 and 3-2.

With the weekend finished, the Windigo improved to 34-13-3-3 on the season, good for 74 points in 53 games. They hold a four-point lead on the Anchorage Wolverines, who do have three games in hand.

The series against the Jets at home was also the team’s annual “Stick-it-to Cancer” fundraiser, with the beneficiary this year being the Berklee Strong Fund.

In the loss to the Steel on Thursday, the teams battled to a near standstill in the first period before the Steel found the net at 17:01 on a mistake in the offensive zone for Wisconsin that led to an odd-man rush the other way that Chippewa buried.

From there, neither team took advantage of any opportunities they had.

Goaltender Max Beckford made 28 saves in the loss for the Windigo.

“I was disappointed with our performance Thursday in Chippewa,” said Windigo coach Blake Hietala. “Our body language was horrible. We seemed to lose our swagger.

“Their goalie played well and got help from the post. We need to find ways to score when we’re not playing our best. Beckford was sharp in net. Any time you give up only one goal, you’ve got to find a way to win that game.”

Friday, the Windigo’s top scorer got them on the board early, and from there, they did not look back.

Forward Max Martin scored his 37th of the season just 3:37 into the contest when he buried a rebound off a shot from defenseman Erick Comstock. Forward Jacob Jastrzebski also picked up an assist on the play.

In the second period, forward Zachary Cline batted a rebound off a shot from forward Logan Nickolaus home at 7:56. Forward Luke Baker also assisted.

Jastrzebski then made it 3-0 Wisconsin just 1:58 later when he scored his 14th goal of the season off a feed from Comstock while parked on the back door. Martin earned his 50th assist of the season on the play.

The Jets got two goals back in the second half of the middle frame, but that was as close as they got.

Just 3:03 into the third, Martin scored his second of the night while the Windigo were on the power play. Forward Will Schumacher and Comstock picked up the assists on the goal.

Michigan Tech recruit Quinn Disher sealed the win with his 11th goal of the season when he deposited the puck into the empty net at 19:19.

Beckford stopped 37 of 39 shots the Jets threw at him in earning the win.

On Saturday, the Jets struck first just 6:44 into the contest.

Looking for an answer, the Windigo got it at 18:45 when Disher dropped a pass to forward Lucas Busch, who scored his first career goal. Defenseman Cashen Naeve also earned an assist on the play.

Wisconsin had a chance to take the lead on a power play in the latter stages of the second period, but a turnover led to a second goal for the Jets instead at 14:01.

Still on the advantage, Jastrzebski evened things again just 50 seconds later when he buried a one-timer off a pass from Schumacher. The goal was Wisconsin’s 67th on the power play this season, which is 14 more than the next closest NAHL team.

Jastrzebski then struck again at 17:45 off a feed from Martin to give the Windigo the lead for the first time. Schumacher also earned an assist on the play.

Goaltender Linards Lipskis made 30 saves on 32 shots to earn his 19th victory of the season.

“The sweep over Janesville was exactly what we needed,” said Hietala. “Anchorage has games in hand, and a relatively easy schedule to close out the season. We need sweeps to maintain first place in the division.

“Our power play was clicking again this weekend.”

Hietala was excited to see Busch pick up his first career goal on Saturday night.

“It was nice to see Lucas Busch pick up his first goal with us,. He’s a welcome addition to the team, after concluding his high season in Maple Grove (Minnesota).”

Injuries are a factor at this point in the season, but the Windigo got some good news when Michigan Tech recruit Ethan DeKay returned to the lineup.

“It was great to have DeKay back after he was injured a couple of months ago,” Hietala said. “We lost a couple of other guys to injuries on Thursday. We hope to have them back in the lineup soon. We need to get everyone healthy and ready for a strong push in the playoffs.”

UP NEXT

After two games at home, the Windigo return to the road this weekend as they travel to face the Jets in Janesville, Wisconsin.