Portage Lake defenseman Matt Marchel turns up the ice with the puck during the first game of the Gibson Cup series against Calumet Thursday at Dee Stadium in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — It has to feel a bit like a broken record at this point for the Calumet Wolverines. They hold a one-goal lead on the road against the Portage Lake Pioneers, but the Pioneers find a way to score enough times in the third period to come away with a win. Thursday night, the Pioneers skated away with a 4-2 victory at Dee Stadium.

Portage Lake defeated the Wolverines just two weeks ago, 2-1, in a game they trailed 1-0 in the third. This time, the Wolverines held a 2-1 lead as the two teams hit the ice for the final 20 minutes.

“It was a great game,” said Pioneers defenseman Matt Marchel. “Super fun to play in. We controlled it the whole time, but they play a good system, and they know what they’re doing. So, it’s always been close all year, every time we played them, I think. So, it’s awesome. It feels good to get the win and emotional roller coaster for a Thursday night. (We) have to go to work and then come back tomorrow (and do it again).”

Unlike the previous game between the two teams, the Pioneers got their comeback started less than a minute into the third period.

“We’re down on a goal. We have to score some goals to win, and when we have the puck in their zone for the majority of the game, they can only last so long, when you do the right things, a high-percentage amount of the time,” Marchel said.

Marchel figured into the comeback by taking advantage of a defensive mistake by the Wolverines. With defenders near him, he noticed that their attention was focused on another area of the ice. He jumped down into some open space, took a pass from winger Zach Hill, and he buried a quick shot :50 into the period.

“They’re high wing, and must have been their offside ‘D’ (defenseman) are kind of both looking at Zach Hill in the corner, because he’s dangerous,” said Marchel. “(You) can’t give him any time in space. I was like, ‘Oh, they’re not looking. They’re not looking.’ So I kind of slid down, and he looked directly at me, then kind of looked off, and then just threw a perfect sauce pass. I’m nervous, and it lands flat perfectly, so I just one-timed it, and their goalie is incredible, and he got across, it just kind of got lucky and stuck between his arm and his pad there.”

Almost eight minutes later, winger Austin Mikesch scored his second goal of the game. Less than a minute after their first power play of the night came to an end, the Pioneers had the puck deep in the Wolverines’ zone. Defenseman Riley McKay skated down into the left corner to retrieve a puck and get to alternate captain Brett Hauswirth. Hauswirth drove hard to the net, deked to his backhand and fired a shot that Calumet goaltender Matthew Ryynanen stopped. However, the rebound bounced right to Mikesch, who buried it at 8:40.

His game-winning tally was eerily similar to his first goal, which tied the game at 1-1, at 18:52 of the first as he also batted in a rebound off a shot from Hauswirth for that goal.

“They don’t ask how, they just ask how many, I guess, right?” Mikesch said. “So, yeah, (I) just keep working my way to the net. (I) have great linemates, in Spencer Donnelly and Brett Hauswirth. They get the puck on net, and I crash the blue paint.”

Hauswirth sealed the win for Portage Lake at 17:12, when he got in close, took a cross-ice pass, waited for Ryynanen to stretch across the goalline, and then he lifted the puck over him and in.

The Wolverines took a 1-0 lead 11:05 into the game on just their second sustained shift in the offensive zone. The Pioneers had controlled a lot of puck possession time, but the Calumet forced a faceoff to the left of Portage Lake goaltender A.J. Petrulis. Winger Gabe Coppo got to the puck off the draw and moved it back to defenseman Isaak Avery. Avery came down the right boards and wired a pass across the slot to winger Donnie Nicely, who quickly redirected it into the net.

After Mikesch evened the game in the late stages of the opening frame, the Wolverines struck again 46 seconds later when captain Logan Rastello was sprung for a breakaway. He made a quick move to his backhand and buried the puck into the net.

Petrulis made 25 saves to earn the win for Portage Lake. Ryynanen stopped 40 in the loss for Calumet.

GAME TWO FRIDAY NIGHT

The two teams met again Friday night in Calumet with the Wolverines looking to force a third and deciding game Saturday back at Dee Stadium. The game ended too late for publication.

Calumet center Logan Rastello buries the puck behind Portage Lake goaltender A.J. Petrulis during the first game of the Gibson Cup series Thursday at Dee Stadium in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)