TOMAH, Wis. — After seven straight road games, the Wisconsin Woodsmen finally returning
home Friday evening.
Problem was, the Wausau Cyclones were not very gracious guests.
The Cyclones foiled Wisconsin’s come-from-behind effort, scoring two of the game’s final two
goals, including the game-winner 3:28 into overtime, as Wausau topped the Woodsmen 5-4 at
the Tomah Ice Center.
Brandon Piwko gave Wausau a 1-0 lead, scoring his 18 th goal of the season to account for the
only tally of the first period. The Cyclones added two more goals in the first half of the second
stanza to extend their lead to 3-0, before Joshua Kauppinen got the Woodsmen on the board
with his 13th of the year with 2:22 remaining to get Wisconsin to within 3-1 heading into the
final 20 minutes.
Kauppinen netted his second straight goal 39 seconds into the third period and Tristen May-
Robinson added his 10 th of the year two minutes later to get the Woodsmen even, 3-3. Wausau
regained the lead on an Easton Plachetha tally at 16:58, only to have Justin Funk deliver some
late-game heroics with his fourth goal of the year with 36 seconds remaining in regulation to
force overtime.
In the extra session, however, it would be the Cyclones who would find the back of the net, as
Jake Garrow beat Wisconsin goalie Steven Kelley threeminutes into the extra session.
Kelley finished with 35 saves between the pipes for the Woodsmen, while Dereck Namlick
kicked out 34 of Wisconsin’s 38 shots on goal.
The two teams will return to the Tomah Ice Center for the second game of their two-game
NA3HL weekend series on Saturday. Puck drop is slated for 7:15 p.m.
