Bad bounce puts Falcons behind undefeated Pioneers

In what is likely one of the most highly anticipated weekends of Eagle River Falcons Hockey at the Dome, fans were welcomed to two outstanding pond hockey weekend games, with one being a heavyweight fight that ended in a 3-2 victory for the undefeated Portage Lake Pioneers Saturday night. A bad bounce in front of the Falcon net became the game-winner.

Portage Lake remains atop the Great Lakes Hockey League with a 14-0 record and sits clear by eight points of the second-place Fond du Lac Bears. Eagle River is in third with an 8-3 record.

It was a physical one from the opening faceoff, as high-speed hockey was the norm Saturday night. Just under four minutes into the contest, Dylan Farmer got the visiting Pioneers on the board first, quieting a packed Eagle River Dome. About eight minutes later, and after a fight near the Portage Lake bench, Evan Janssen lit the lamp for Eagle River to tie things at 1-1. That score would remain until almost midway through the second period. Portage Lake grabbed a 2-1 lead with 12:54 remaining in the middle frame. Janssen would get his second of the night on the power play, assisted by Todd Koritzinsky and Austin Redders.

As the scoreboard read 2-2 after 40 minutes of hockey, fans knew the final 20 minutes would be good. The two teams had their chances in the first 10 minutes of the third, but it was a shot from the point that ricocheted off the shoulder of a Falcon player, and goaltender Mike Madosh had no chance as it occurred right in front of the crease. That would end up being the game winner.

Eagle River went down swinging, as a 5-on-4 power play and another extra man opportunity late in the period gave them multiple close calls in front of the net, but to no avail.

The Falcons outshot the Pioneers 31-26, as Madosh stopped 23 of the 26.

This is far from the last time the Falcons will see Portage Lake this season. Eagle River will welcome the Pioneers back to the Dome on Friday, Feb. 13, after a weekend off this coming weekend. It will then travel to Portage Lake a day later, Saturday, Feb. 14, to play at Dee Stadium.

The following weekend, Eagle River will have a full Upper Peninsula trip, with a fourth straight contest with the Pioneers on Friday, Feb. 20, and will then travel to Calumet on Saturday, Feb. 21, to face the Wolverines.