The Portage Lake hockey team poses with all three trophies they earned this season by winning the Great Lakes Hockey League regular season title, the Kohlman Cup as the playoff champion, and the Gibson Cup after defeating Calumet Saturday at the Calumet Colosseum. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

CALUMET — If Thursday night’s matchup between the Portage Lake Pioneers and the Calumet Wolverines went the way most hockey games have gone between the two teams this season, the Friday night game was the exception. With the Gibson Cup on the line for the Pioneers with a win, Portage Lake Pioneers scored early and often in a 7-0 victory at the Calumet Colosseum.

The Pioneers, who were searching for the Great Lakes Hockey League regular season title, the Kohlman Cup title, and the Gibson Cup all in the same season, got finished off the final box on their checklist with the win, thanks to two goals each from winger Brett Hauswirth and center Spencer Donnelly.

Donnelly was quick to mention after the game just how important it was to have the entire team focused on all three goals.

“It’s not easy at all,” he said. “I have to give a huge shoutout to every single one on this team, because we’ve had great buy-in all year long. That’s what it takes. Going on road trips, we need as many people to show up as possible, and that’s how we win that league title. Winning the league title in the regular season gets us to the first seed, which gets us a good road to the championship game.

“So, huge props to every single one on this team. They’ve made it so much fun this year.”

Donnelly finished his night with two goals and one assist. His two tallies both came shorthanded on the same Wolverines’ power play, just 30 seconds apart starting at 15:19 of the third when he joined Hauswirth on a rush to make it a 2-on-1. Hauswirth waited for Donnelly to catch up, fed the puck over to him, and Donnelly made a move to his backhand to beat Calumet goaltender Bruce Parisot.

Donnelly’s second came when he buried a rebound off a shot from Hauswirth, who originally got the puck from him.

“On the two goals, I saw a lot of open ice, actually,” said Donnelly. “We got a good break, and me and ‘Haus’ just kind of did what we did. He made a good play and I was able to finish.

“Then that second one, I made a play to him, (and) just picked up the rebound.”

Donnelly and Hauswirth have spent multiple seasons on the same line, which has allowed them to build the kind of chemistry that leads to the types of plays the former scores on.

“It’s awesome, because, I mean, we play together in rentals, in practice, Pioneers, everywhere,” Donnelly said. “We’re together, and I love that guy. We just have some of the best chemistry. “Yeah, I love him to death, so he makes it a lot of fun.”

Hauswirth agrees.

“We play together so much, it’s probably at least three times a week,” he said. “You know, he’s just a workhorse, always first man in on the puck, has his head up, looking for me all the time. He’s an easy target to find, too, so it’s awesome playing with him.”

Hauswirth, who finish his night with two goals and two assists, scored his first 36 seconds into the middle frame when he stepped out of the penalty box behind the Wolverines defense. Skating near the offensive blue line, he took a pass from Donnelly, turned and skated in alone on Calumet’s starting goaltender Matthew Ryynanen, beating him with a backhand deke.

“The first one, came right out of the box, and that was a great pass from Spencer,” Hauswirth said. “Last night, (I) tied to go blocker side, so I said, ‘I’m going to go glove this time.'”

His second tally came at 11:16 of the second, when he buried a rebound off a shot from captain Charlie Turner.

Hauswirth also was proud of how strong the turnout all season for the Pioneers, which helped the team have success, not losing a game after a Dec. 7, 2024, loss to the Fond du Lac Bears on the road.

“That just shows every guy on this team plays a big part in that,” he said. “We had great turnout all year. Everybody showed up when it mattered, and showed up all the time, so it was awesome.”

Forward Colton Salani got the Pioneers on the board early, when he buried a rebound off a shot from winger Cale Markham at 6:48 of the first period.

Portage Lake kept the pressure on and eventually drew a penalty at 12:40 to Wolverines defenseman Maxx Fredrickson. Just 16 seconds later, winger Zach Hill buried a one-time off a pass from winger Alec Broetzman to make it 2-0.

Broetzman figured in the scoring again in the last stages of the middle frame, when he took a lead pass from defenseman Brendan Erickson and beat Ryynanen with just 17 seconds left.

Parisot relieved Ryynanen for the third period. The two combined for 33 saves in the loss.

On the other end of the ice, A.J. Petrulis stopped all 24 shots that came his way for his second shutout in his last three starts. Those two shutouts were for the Kohlman Cup and then the Gibson Cup.

“Man, he stepped up huge,” said Hauswirth. “I mean, this weekend he was awesome. Another shutout tonight, shutout in the championship of the GLHL. I mean, he’s riding hot right now.”

The win secured the Gibson Cup for the Pioneers for the third straight season.

Portage Lake center Dawson McKay (8) and Calumet defenseman Stephen Dudenas (93) battle in front of Calumet goaltender Bruce Parisot (30) during the third period of the second game of the Gibson Cup series Saturday at the Calumet Colosseum. Also pictured are Portage Lake forward Zach Hill and Calumet defenseman Isaak Avery (22). (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)