Big Rapids 3 Gaylord 2

Playoff hockey at its best in Big Rapids tonight, a very physical game and lots of run and gun. On the strength of 3 power play goals, Big Rapids gets by Gaylord 3-2 tonight at Ferris State. Despite being outshot 33 to 27 by the Gaylord Blue Devils, Big Rapids scores once in each period with power play goals in the first by Mike Hickson (assist to Paul Goggins and Tom Hancock), in the second by Nick Goodfellow (assist to Jordan Defever) and in the third by Paul Goggins, assist to Tom Hancock and Bill McMullen.

Gaylord also scored a power play goal of its own in the 2nd from Gavin Palm with the assist going to Hunter Stier. Gaylord tightens up the game in the third period at 3 to 2 with another Palm goal, this one a 360 turnaround shot that gets by the Cardinal goaltender. The last 3 minutes of the game was a nail bitter as Gaylord look to get the equalizer and pulled their goalie late in the game, but Bob Butterfiled stands tall and gets the win in net for Big Rapids on 25 saves - of which 10 were powerplay shots and 2 shorthanded scoring chances. Jordan Defever for the Cardinals comes up big as well tonight with 6 blocked shots of his own and draws three penalties for the Cardinals. Big Rapids faces off against Cadillac on Wednesday at Ferris to determine whom heads to Gaylord for Saturday's regional game