Anchorage Wolverines win Game 2 to take commanding Midwest finals lead

The Anchorage Wolverines topped the Wisconsin Windigo 6-3 on Saturday night to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 North American Hockey League Midwest finals series.

With the win, the Robertson Cup playoff series shifts to Wisconsin. The Windigo will host Game 3 at 4 p.m. AKDT Friday at the Eagle River Sports Arena in Eagle River, Wisconsin.

On Saturday at Ben Boeke Ice Arena, the Wolverines got off to a quick start and kept their foot on the accelerator. Tyler Hennen scored just 1 minute, 50 seconds into the first period to give Anchorage a 1-0 advantage.

Wisconsin bounced back to tie the game 1-1 with a goal from Will Schumacher midway through the first period. Both of the game’s first two goals were scored on the power play.

Anchorage forward Taisetsu Ushio put on a one-man offensive show to close out the period. Ushio scored at 12:11 of the first period to give the Wolverines a 2-1 lead. He added another goal in the final 70 or so seconds of the period to send Anchorage to the locker room with a 3-1 lead, chasing Windigo starting goalie Max Beckford from the game.

Arvega Hovsepyan struck for the only goal of the second period on the power play to extend Anchorage’s lead to 4-1.

In the third period, the Windigo scored 26 seconds into the period to cut the Anchorage advantage to 4-2. But 11 seconds later, Bryce Monrean extended the Wolverines’ lead back to three goals at 5-2. Ushio and Fyodor Nikolayenya assisted on the score.

The Windigo scored again to cut the Anchorage lead to 5-3, but Cole Christian scored an empty-net goal in the final minute to make the final 6-3.

Ushio finished with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) to lead the Wolverines. Anchorage goalie Liam Beerman continued his successful playoff run, making 22 saves to earn the win.