Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report Wisconsin forward Tyler Grahme prepares to shoot on Anchorage goaltender Liam Beerman during a NAHL Midwest Division Championship Series game in Anchorage, Alaska.

EAGLE RIVER, Wis. — Despite getting offensive contributions from Michigan Tech Huskies hockey recruits Ethan DeKay and Quinn Disher, the Wisconsin Windigo dropped both games to open their North American Hockey League Midwest Division Championship Series against the Anchorage Wolverines, 3-2 and 6-3.

The Windigo threw 31 shots at Marquette native Liam Beerman in the loss on Friday night, and followed that effort up with 25 more shots on Saturday, but could only manage to score five times over the course of the weekend.

“We would have liked to at least steal one, get home ice from them, but we probably didn’t get the bounces we needed to,” said coach Blake Hietala. “(We have) a couple things we have to clean up.”

In the first game of the series on Friday night at Ben Boeke Ice Arena, the Wolverines struck first 14:09 into the contest.

Looking for the equalizer, the Windigo got it late in the first period when forward Everett Pietila scored his second goal of the playoffs while on the man advantage. He tipped a shot from defenseman Erick Comstock past Beerman for the tally at 19:14. DeKay picked up the second assist on the goal.

Despite getting the goal, the Windigo could not build on any momentum they had in the middle frame, as the Wolverines scored at 5:44 and 9:23 to jump out to a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Wisconsin needed a spark early in the third period, and they got it when defenseman Carter Theissen took off down the ice, skating the puck nearly the length of the rink before depositing it into the net just 2:42 in. Disher and forward Luke Baker both assisted on the goal.

The Windigo threw 10 other shots at Beerman, but could not solve him before the final buzzer sounded.

“It was a little frustrating,” said Hietala. “I thought we played a pretty good game overall. Definitely out chanced them, out possessed them, had our chances to score. Our goaltending was not good enough. Then, like I said, it just felt like it was one of those nights where we couldn’t get the bounce we needed for us to tie it up or go ahead.”

Goaltender Max Beckford made 13 saves in the loss for Wisconsin.

On the power play early Saturday night, the Wolverines jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 1:50 in.

Co-captain Will Schumacher evened things at the 10-minute mark when he fired a shot that bounced off a defender and past Beerman. Pietila and co-captain Max Martin both earned assists on the goal.

The Wolverines regained the lead and then extended it with a pair of goals from Taisetsu Ushio 6:38 apart, ending Beckford’s night between the pipes after 20 minutes of play.

“Again, our goaltending was not good enough,” Hietala said. “We let in some goals both nights that we haven’t seen all year. Then, from there, it just kind of felt like we were chasing the game down 3-1 in the first.

“(I) didn’t think we played a bad game, definitely had chances. We had three posts, but when you go down early like that, it’s tough to come back from, especially in a building like Anchorage’s.”

Linards Lipskis stepped in to start the second period, but Anchorage extended their lead again at 8:32.

Going into the third, the Windigo needed something quickly, and they got it when forward Braydon Beahm scored just 26 seconds in. Beahm took a pass from Martin as he cut through the neutral zone and he fired a shot from high in the offensive zone. While Beerman made the save, Beahm jumped in and knocked the rebound past him for the goal. Assistant captain Tyler Grahme assisted on the goal.

Just 11 seconds later, the Windigo found themselves down three goals again.

Forward Lucas Busch buried a one-timer off a pass from forward Zachary Cline to pull Wisconsin back within two at 8:31, but that was as close as they got. Theissen picked up the second assist on the goal.

The Wolverines added a goal with Lipskis pulled for an extra attacker late in the contest to seal the win.

Beckford finished with nine saves and Lipskis made 16 saves on 18 shots for Wisconsin in the loss.

BETTER AT HOME

The Windigo have beenvery good at home this season, which bodes well for them if they want to bounce back from the tough trip to Alaska. Wisconsin has only lost four times at home this season, so they feel as confident as they can that things appear to be in their favor heading into Game Three.

“(It’s) definitely a challenge, but I think we’ve looked at it as, if there’s anyone that can do it in any situation that it can happen, it’s kind of lining up for us,” said Hietala. “We’ve also got a good home record and a good home environment. We, hopefully, can ride that a little bit on Friday, and then, if we can find a way to get Friday done, the momentum’s changed and then we’ll kind of see what happens going from there.”

UP NEXT

The Windigo return home to the friendly confines of the Eagle River Sports Arena this weekend, needing to win three straight games to advance to the Robertson Cup semifinals. They will play at 8 p.m. Friday night. If they win, the two teams will play again Saturday at 8 p.m. Should Wisconsin win that game as well, a fifth and deciding game will be played Sunday at 7 p.m.